http://youtu.be/zYQkyrSxXpc

sorry guys i dunno how to post a video here...

http://youtu.be/zYQkyrSxXpc

sorry guys i dunno how to post a video here...

zYQkyrSxXpc

nice...

Nice ad from SMART. It would be cool though to see more foreign tourists in upcoming promotions.

hey guys, I'm wondering whether the Island Insider episodes of the National Geographic which aired June 23 only shown in the Philippines? I checked the National Geographic schedule here in Singapore and it is not scheduled to play anytime this week....

I think that series is only shown on local phil channel just like the show Inside malacanang. Im just guessing though because the voice over announcer sounds familiar. Ive heard his voice many times on local tv.

I think that series is only shown on local phil channel just like the show Inside malacanang. Im just guessing though because the voice over announcer sounds familiar. Ive heard his voice many times on local tv.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It was shown in US because my cousins watch it already

From Naga and Iriga Cities, and Camarines Sur Province Thread 76 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=92721633&posted=1#post92721633) :okay:
[/URL]
Kris Tv in CamSur
by [URL="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.480126735346505.127545.402678916424621&type=3"]Province of CamSur (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=92721633&posted=1#post92721633)

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Kris Tv in CamSur
by Province of CamSur (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.480126735346505.127545.402678916424621&type=3)

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/550429_480128912012954_1009118945_n.jpg

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Kris Tv in CamSur
by Province of CamSur (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.480126735346505.127545.402678916424621&type=3)

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/421421_480130502012795_1289514820_n.jpg

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http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/229891_480131118679400_1386110260_n.jpg

Kris Tv in CamSur
by Province of CamSur (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.480126735346505.127545.402678916424621&type=3)

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/s720x720/551707_480131218679390_701862877_n.jpg

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http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/521405_480131748679337_370694507_n.jpg

Kris Tv in CamSur
by Province of CamSur (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.480126735346505.127545.402678916424621&type=3)

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Merry-Go-Round
Airport Attractions
By FLORO L. MERCENE
June 24, 2012, 9:58pm

http://mb.com.ph/articles/363315/airport-attractions

MANILA, Philippines --- Long before some of the best airports in the world boasted of having amenities, facilities, and theme parks that now seem to be the rage, we must remember that the then Manila International Airport (MIA) already possessed an attraction that would be copied and emulated elsewhere in the world.

We’re talking of Nayong Pilipino, a miniaturized version of the Philippines’ tourist spots, just a few minutes’ walk from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Within a few hours, one can see the famous perfect cone-shape volcano Mt. Mayon, the old Spanish houses in Vigan, the Ifugao rice terraces, and many more, including cultural presentations.

Officially call it Nayong Filipino Cultural Park in Pasay City to distinguish it from the one in Pampanga. It features six regions in miniature within a 46-hectare area adjacent to the Manila Domestic Airport runway.

A pity that part of Nayon had to give way to the NAIA expansion, and the rest has been sold for commercial developments.

Nayon comes to mind after the recent publications of 14 international airports that has allegedly superior amenities passengers would long for a layover.

Appearing on a special CNN feature, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas gets first billing because it has golf, ping pong, and gym facilities. Ho hum.

Singapore’s Changi Airport lures visitors with tiny fish that would nibble at your submerged feet to get rid of calluses, or as part of a pedicure treatment, while Schipol Amsterdam Airport in the Netherlands was the first to house its national museum, devoted to Dutch art, history, and many more. Admission is free.

CNN says passengers who spend their time waiting at the airport for takeoff or between flights, could have an exciting time visiting some of these airports, such as the Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, where passengers can pass the time away downing ice cream, engaging in interactive computing, etc.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong International Airport brags of a nine-hole golf course adjacent to Terminal 2, while Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, takes travelers between connecting flights on a guided tour of the city. The passengers are taken to some temples, then on to a Shopping Tour, Korean Drama Hallyu Tour, and Traditional Culture Experience Tour.

Why do we feel that these offerings seem mundane?

Because we’ve been there, done that.

Nayong Pilipino was imitated, if I am not mistaken, in Shenzhen, China, the “Window of the World,” featuring replicas of the Niagara Falls, the Eiffel Tower, Egypt’s Pyramids, India’s Taj Mahal, and the US Grand Canyon. Also the Mahamuni Pagoda of Mandalay, the Angkor Wat of Cambodia, Ancient Athens, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Tower of London, all in all, about 130 replicas of the most famous tourist spots in the world.

And Shenzhen is not anywhere near any airport!

Today, if ever the NAIA is mentioned, it is lumped together with the other “Worst Airports” on the planet.

May we suggest that the present NAIA management do something to bring back a little of our rich cultural traditions. Set aside a place at the sprawling NAIA 3 where we can exhibit the best of our painters and sculptures, or some other cultural presentations that would entertain our visitors and let them discover that "It's really fun in the Philippines."

I think that series is only shown on local phil channel just like the show Inside malacanang. Im just guessing though because the voice over announcer sounds familiar. Ive heard his voice many times on local tv.

No, it was also shown worldwide. I have friends abroad who were able to watch the "Inside Malacanang".

zYQkyrSxXpc

nice...

Nice ad. I hope other companies would follow suit, feature Philippine destinations on their ads.


Nice ad from SMART. It would be cool though to see more foreign tourists in upcoming promotions.

And they can hire a giant screen by our airports and have those ads played on loop.

It's More Fun In The Philippines campaign hits LA

http://distilleryimage1.instagram.com/7ed7dc62be2811e1af7612313813f8e8_7.jpg


:D

The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras is officially removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger at the 36th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Saint Petersburg, Russia! This good news was text to me by Archt. Joy Mananghaya who is currently at the meeting. Congratulations to UNACOM, ICOMOS Philippines and the people of Ifugao for the great work that was done!

From Ivan Henares.

:cheers2:

I think this is somehow related to Travel and Tourism
The Philippines from an Expats point of view.

from CDO-Thread

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg533/Bamboo88888888/Articles/FallingInLoveWithThePhilippines.jpg
http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg533/Bamboo88888888/Articles/DelphineDeLorme.jpg


Source: http://issuu.com/mabuhaymagazine/docs/mabuhay_june

^^ Lori Blackburn, the writer is my friend. :lol:

She's the one on the far left, this was taken when we hiked to Batad Rice Terraces...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/24006_414881051281_4908901_n.jpg

And CARSTEN STORMER?? PUHLEEZE. I hope he changed his tune because the last time I met that guy was when we were on a rooftop pool party in Makati and while he was swilling his wine glass he flat out said that there's nothing nice to report about the Philippines. I swear to God I almost smacked him right there.

ABohDdXy0Pc

comment: ang pangit ni Regine dito. Si Janno, parang di tumatanda :D

From Ivan Henares.

:cheers2:

mali basa ko nung una kaya edit. Hehe

I think that series is only shown on local phil channel just like the show Inside malacanang. Im just guessing though because the voice over announcer sounds familiar. Ive heard his voice many times on local tv.

I saw the Inside Malacanang feature here in singapore over ngc... The voice over in the inside malacanang feature was Joonie Gamboa...he voiced for Dr. Smith in Voltes V... Eheheh

^^ Lori Blackburn, the writer is my friend. :lol:

She's the one on the far left, this was taken when we hiked to Batad Rice Terraces...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/24006_414881051281_4908901_n.jpg

And CARSTEN STORMER?? PUHLEEZE. I hope he changed his tune because the last time I met that guy was when we were on a rooftop pool party in Makati and while he was swilling his wine glass he flat out said that there's nothing nice to report about the Philippines. I swear to God I almost smacked him right there.


Well he met his wife here....I guess that change everything for him..

OT:

balakang pa lang ni Kris, ulam na

I saw the Inside Malacanang feature here in singapore over ngc... The voice over in the inside malacanang feature was Joonie Gamboa...he voiced for Dr. Smith in Voltes V... Eheheh
and also Dr. Hook, the successor to Dr. Smith

I can't believe that the itsmorefuninthephilippines.com website is still not finished!? There's nothing to sre except a few pics and the introduction. so sad i thought they would do more.

OT:

balakang pa lang ni Kris, ulam na

huh?! are you a cannibal?

From Cebu Thread:

PESCADOR ISLAND, CEBU
Source (http://skiyscuba.com/Filipinas/imagenes/nueve_millones.pdf)

http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/246/74274500.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5070/26873268.jpg

http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/1883/78664174.jpg

repost lang naku.... Pescador Island Diving


25583524

ct: robert baynosa's vimeo

I saw the Inside Malacanang feature here in singapore over ngc... The voice over in the inside malacanang feature was Joonie Gamboa...he voiced for Dr. Smith in Voltes V... Eheheh

Ah ok thats good, buti naman. 80s kid ka pala ah. hehehehe Pop quiz on what day of the week showing ang voltes v and what time? :lol:

^^ Amazing video on Pescador, Cebu

A US-based friend posted in Facebook that there's a permanent video ad of "It's More Fun in the Philippines" playing all over the airport lounges/boarding area of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

huh?! are you a cannibal?

are you new to this game kid? you are taking things way toooooo literally!:banana:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/539306_324332227650472_1604323583_n.jpg

:cheers2:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/561615_374888712576840_1701357917_n.jpg (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=374888712576840&set=a.166742566724790.45211.166358200096560&type=1)
click the image for source


Aerial Shot of Palawan, Philippines
photo by novellsteel

From Cebu Thread:

is the pescador island a marine sanctuary? bakit maraming sardinas dyan na hindi pa naging 555:lol:

dyan kaya tayo magtayo ng floating canning factory ng sardines:D

We had a sardines shortage just a few mons ago, prompting canneries to source their fish from indonesia which resulted in higher canned sardine prices.

Sabi ng kuya ko binalita kagabi sa 24 Oras na magtatayo daw ng Disneyland sa Clark. How true?

Well I hope they leave this group of sardines alone. Haha. Yes, Pescador Island is a sanctuary. And nearby Saavedra, Moalboal on the mainland (Cebu=Island pa rin hehe) is also one.

^ More marine sanctuaries in the philippines please! :D

is the pescador island a marine sanctuary? bakit maraming sardinas dyan na hindi pa naging 555:lol:

bugoya! :lol::lol:

VOGUE UK: Philippine Island is World's Most Fashionable Holiday Destination. (http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/celebrity-photos/2011/08/12/100-inspiring-stylish-holiday-ideas/gallery#)

:cheers2: :cheers2: :cheers2: :cheers2: :cheers2:


http://www.ariaraisland.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/island-location1.jpg

http://www.ariaraisland.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/accommodation-cottage6.jpg

http://www.ariaraisland.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/poolnew1.jpg

^^ I so looooooooooooove that 3rd photo!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YMzKhff4hiw/Twot0TjRpfI/AAAAAAAAAcU/WhtN28Yh518/s1600/its-more-fun-in-the-philippines-DOT+logo+and+slogan-Philppine+tourism+slogan-Philippine+tourism+logo-Its+more+fun+in+the+Philippines-department+of+tourism.jpg

Link to past thread,

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1512581&page=45

The previous thread's not even 50 pages yet and you cut it off?

Anyway, reposting this:

VOGUE UK: Philippine Island is World's Most Fashionable Holiday Destination. (http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/celebrity-photos/2011/08/12/100-inspiring-stylish-holiday-ideas/gallery#)


:cheers2::cheers2::cheers2::cheers2::cheers2::cheers2:

http://www.ariaraisland.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/island-location1.jpg

http://www.ariaraisland.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/accommodation-cottage6.jpg

http://www.ariaraisland.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/poolnew1.jpg

I usually do the cut based on number of posts. Usually it's 1000 posts or more. Or post numbers nearing 1000.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8333/legendsp.jpg

Security plan underway for Caribbean cruise arrival in Boracay

BORACAY ISLAND, June 28 (PNA) - Task Force Boracay is currently mapping out security plans for the expected arrival of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship in this resort island.

This developed after the task force received confirmation from the ship management that it has chosen Manila and Boracay Island as areas in the Philippines to be visited this October.

The task force is composed of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Caticlan Jetty Port, Department of Tourism, and Malay local government.

The presentation of the security plan will be held on July 4 in Casa Pilar here.

Already, the Aklan provincial government is hopeful that it could reach its target of one million tourist arrivals this year as the Royal Ship could accommodate 2,500 elite tourists from all over the world. (PNA)

Related Link:
http://ttgasia.com/article.php?article_id=3335

Yeah, pwede nang mag Asian Cruise. Manila & Boracay included. See you next year Royal Caribbean.

^^ A stop over in Coron will be awesome as well!

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1203/smbhkg.jpg
SMB Beerfest in Hong Kong

The best SMB bottled outside the Philippines is the one bottled in Kathmandu. :cheers:

Just remembering a lomo photo I took 2 years ago...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/31518_432549421281_4296718_n.jpg


The Ifugaos.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/31518_432549126281_1200087_n.jpg

The previous thread's not even 50 pages yet and you cut it off?

Anyway, reposting this:

VOGUE UK: Philippine Island is World's Most Fashionable Holiday Destination. (http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/celebrity-photos/2011/08/12/100-inspiring-stylish-holiday-ideas/gallery#)


:cheers2::cheers2::cheers2::cheers2::cheers2::cheers2:



http://www.ariaraisland.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/poolnew1.jpg


Philippines’ Ariara Island listed in British Vogue’s 100 Best Holiday Destinations (http://www.interaksyon.com/lifestyle/philippines-ariara-island-listed-in-british-vogues-100-best-holiday-destinations)

http://www.interaksyon.com/lifestyle/assets/2012/06/islandlocationnew1.jpg

http://www.interaksyon.com/lifestyle/assets/2012/06/photo2.jpg

Army camp in Capiz offers land for tourism
By Dona Z. Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
1:12 am | Saturday, June 30th, 2012

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/220661/army-camp-in-capiz-offers-land-for-tourism

The Philippine Army is going into the tourism business, with plans to offer Camp Macario Peralta Jr. in Jamindan town in Capiz province as a side attraction for visitors to the nearby Boracay island-resort.

Headquarters of the Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division (3ID), the 33,310-hectare camp is being considered for development into an ecotourism site, according to Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr., 3ID commander.

The Army, Mabanta said, had been talking with the provincial government’s tourism department and some private businesses, and had received enthusiastic response to the idea.

“Tourists visiting the world-class island-resort of Boracay will now have another option for a place to visit,” Mabanta said in a news conference at the camp on Thursday.

He said visitors to the camp would not only get the chance to enjoy nature, but also the opportunity to meet indigenous people living there.

5 waterfalls

“Opening the camp to tourists offers the opportunity to tell the world [about] the rich cultural heritage of the [indigenous] people,” Mabanta said.
Declared a military reservation by presidential order, Camp Peralta has most of its natural forest cover and wildlife preserved.

Mabanta said that so far, five waterfalls had been discovered in the vicinity of the camp.

“This is one of the best places to travel to and appreciate what the natural environment can offer,” Mabanta said. “We believe there are more unexplored waterfalls within the reservation.”

The 3rd Division occupies only about 1,000 ha of the reservation, leaving most of it untouched.

The reservation covers 27 barangays in the municipalities of Jamindan and Tapaz in Capiz province and the municipality of Lambunao in Iloilo province.

The 3rd Division has jurisdiction over the entire Western Visayas region and parts of the Central Visayas region.

Its Camp Peralta headquarters is 54 kilometers from Roxas City in Capiz; 88 km from Kalibo, Aklan; and 122 km from Iloilo City.

Hilltop grotto of Mary

Mabanta said the reservation could also offer a nature trek, a two-hour hike through the forest where hikers can take a dip in a freshwater stream that is fed by a 100-meter waterfall that has three basin falls.

Camp Peralta has a hilltop grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an orchidarium and a swimming pool that can also be used for scuba-diving practice.

The camp also has a picnic area with a viewing tower called Kalikasan Nature Park.

Ariara island never heard of it until now what about amanpulo island anyone got pics ? i haven't been there yet but some of the pics ive seen so far look great .

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8333/legendsp.jpg

Security plan underway for Caribbean cruise arrival in Boracay

BORACAY ISLAND, June 28 (PNA) - Task Force Boracay is currently mapping out security plans for the expected arrival of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship in this resort island.

This developed after the task force received confirmation from the ship management that it has chosen Manila and Boracay Island as areas in the Philippines to be visited this October.

The task force is composed of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Caticlan Jetty Port, Department of Tourism, and Malay local government.

The presentation of the security plan will be held on July 4 in Casa Pilar here.

Already, the Aklan provincial government is hopeful that it could reach its target of one million tourist arrivals this year as the Royal Ship could accommodate 2,500 elite tourists from all over the world. (PNA)

Related Link:
http://ttgasia.com/article.php?article_id=3335

Sana sa boracay na lang itenerary nila plus maybe bohol or cebu but certainly not manila. Not unless manila gets really really cleaned up and i dont mean only the surroundings but the people themselves. Nakakahiya parang bahay na ang gulo gulo, ang dumi dumi at malapit ng matibag.

Pag mag docked sila sa south harbor makikita nila yung huge IS community that is baseco, isla puting bato and farola compounds and not to mention the mountains of floating basura sa manila bay. Pag baba naman nila makikita nila ang madilim na paligid sa bonifacio drive with scary looking men half naked pushing their pedicabs. Buti kung sa bohol malamang may welcoming rondalla or choir group pa, mas positive ang maiiwang first impression sa mga tourists.

They can also visit Palawan

Sana sa boracay na lang itenerary nila plus maybe bohol or cebu but certainly not manila. Not unless manila gets really really cleaned up and i dont mean only the surroundings but the people themselves. Nakakahiya parang bahay na ang gulo gulo, ang dumi dumi at malapit ng matibag.

Pag mag docked sila sa south harbor makikita nila yung huge IS community that is baseco, isla puting bato and farola compounds and not to mention the mountains of floating basura sa manila bay. Pag baba naman nila makikita nila ang madilim na paligid sa bonifacio drive with scary looking men half naked pushing their pedicabs. Buti kung sa bohol malamang may welcoming rondalla or choir group pa, mas positive ang maiiwang first impression sa mga tourists.

I disagree, why would Royal Carribean Cruise choose a place where they will expose their clients to something unpleasant and ghastly, and also to humiliate the host country. Pinili naman siguro nila ang mga itinerary no.

Philippines rice terraces off endangered list: UN
http://news.yahoo.com/philippines-rice-terraces-off-endangered-list-un-190429320.html;_ylt=A2KJ3CVRiu5PPHIAEarQtDMD


The Philippines' ancient rice terraces, carved into mountains like giant green stairs, have been removed from a UN list of endangered world heritage sites, the UN office in Manila said Wednesday.

The 2,000-year-old living cultural monuments were put on the World Heritage Committee's danger list in 2000 at the Philippine government's request to rally local and international aid, and for better management of their preservation.

"Both actions were successfully undertaken, leading to the conservation of the remote high rice fields," the UN information office said in a statement.

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) said it had extended $153,200 to aid Philippine efforts to conserve paddies it said were threatened by deforestation, disuse, climate change and earthquakes.

The terraces, located in five towns in the northern Cordilleras, were named as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, citing the need to preserve the traditions of terrace-building peoples in Ifugao province.

Jerry Dalipog, mayor of Banaue town, where two of the five terraced fields are located, said UN-assisted conservation efforts should drive tourist traffic to the sites by up to 30 percent.

"Once the tourists are convinced that there are still terraces left to see, more of them will come and visit us," he told AFP in a telephone interview.

He said Banaue is set to complete by year's end a four-month project to repair amphitheatre-shaped rice terraces in the village of Batad, one of the most famous sites, that had been disfigured last year by a huge landslide.

The repair works, estimated to cost 50 million pesos ($1.18 million), are being funded by the government and private donors, Dalipog added.

UNESCO describes the terraces as an "expression of sacred traditions and a delicate social balance," which have helped create "a landscape of great beauty that expresses the harmony between humankind and the environment."
..

^^ Nice. We really need to be aware of and take care of this national cultural treasure. A wonder of the ancient Philippines. :)

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/316277_10150365096178896_287652110_n.jpg

Sana sa boracay na lang itenerary nila plus maybe bohol or cebu but certainly not manila. Not unless manila gets really really cleaned up and i dont mean only the surroundings but the people themselves. Nakakahiya parang bahay na ang gulo gulo, ang dumi dumi at malapit ng matibag.

Pag mag docked sila sa south harbor makikita nila yung huge IS community that is baseco, isla puting bato and farola compounds and not to mention the mountains of floating basura sa manila bay. Pag baba naman nila makikita nila ang madilim na paligid sa bonifacio drive with scary looking men half naked pushing their pedicabs. Buti kung sa bohol malamang may welcoming rondalla or choir group pa, mas positive ang maiiwang first impression sa mga tourists.

I have travelled to and from Manila by boat for years and it's an exaggeration to say that there are 'mountains of floating basura'- sure, the bay could use some cleaning but Manila Bay now is way cleaner than it used to be, thanks to a Supreme Court order after Atty. Oposa filed a class suit against the government regarding this. The problem isn't Manila Bay per se but Pasig and the canals, creeks and other tributaries that flow to Pasig which of course empty out into the bay. All these informal settlements should be cleared and the residents relocated (forcibly if it needs be).


I disagree, why would Royal Carribean Cruise choose a place where they will expose their clients to something unpleasant and ghastly, and also to humiliate the host country. Pinili naman siguro nila ang mga itinerary no.

Exactly.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/316277_10150365096178896_287652110_n.jpg

Cebu was 8th last year. Any link for this year's?

Cebu was 8th last year. Any link for this year's?

We have to wait until October since the article was published on October 16, 2011.

Source: http://cebudailynews.wordpress.com/2011/10/16/cebu-returns-as-8th-best/

Cebu was 8th last year. Any link for this year's?

for 2010 Cebu was not included but for 2011, its back to 8th spot which the report says and like what @Wind Shear said, we have to wait this October for the 2012 list which will prolly be published next year.

Found a good video on youtube
_F7dBLg_VMk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F7dBLg_VMk

for 2010 Cebu was not included but for 2011, its back to 8th spot which the report says and like what @Wind Shear said, we have to wait this October for the 2012 list which will prolly be published next year.

I did not say Cebu was on 2010, where did you get that? So I guess it will be out in October, I thought the one posted was for this year, that is why I asked. Maybe, if we post dated articles, we should be putting actual dates. 2 cents.

^^ We're did I get it? Of course, its there in the news article that's it. Here's the article though...

Cebu returns to 8th best
By Boboi Costas, CDN
Friday | June 29, 2012

After being excluded last year, Cebu island bounces back at number 8. An international magazine that specializes in luxury travel has ranked Cebu as the 8th best island destination in Asia for 2011.

The Condé Nast Traveler survey also recognized Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Mactan Island, Cebu, in the category of Top Resorts in Asia. It was the resort’s second time to make the list.

In a field of 20 in Asia, the high-end Mactan resort ranked number 14 with 84.8, a notch higher than last year’s 83.2 points. Another Shangri-La property, the Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa, was ranked no. 17 with 83.8 points. The world’s best resort is the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai in Pudong with a score of 99.2 points, while the Best Resort in Asia is the Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali (95.7 points).

The results, released last week, are from Condé Nast’s 24th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards, a listing of the best cities, islands, hotels, transportation and resorts worldwide for 2011.

There are 1,285 top scorers all over the world.

“The demand for excellence in travel has never been higher, and the results of the 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards reflect the most exacting standards by the world’s most discerning travelers—the readers of Condé Nast Traveler,” said editor in chief Klara Glowczewska.

Cebu bounced back this year (2011) at number 8 (77.2 points) after being shut out and dislodged by Luzon island last year (2010).

Still, it failed to surpass Luzon ranking this year at no. 6 (77.9 points) on the list of Top Island Destinations. Luzon was ranked at no. 7 last year (75.1 points). Cebu is a small island in the Visayas with a population of 3 million compared with Luzon’s 48 million. Luzon includes Metro Manila and regions of Ilocos, Bicol, Central Luzon, Cagayan and the Cordilleras.

Cebu has occupied the 7th place four times in the magazine’s annual survey: 72.6 in 2009, 70.9 in 2008, 72.3 in 2007 and 72.8 in 2004. Twice, it has been ranked 8th best island destination by the same survey: in 2006 with 71.0 points and in 2005, with 69.5 points.

In the category of Asia, the top ten best islands destinations are the following: Maldives (87.5), Bali (84.30), Phuket (80.0), Seychelles (79.9), Malaysian Borneo (79.2), Mauritius (77.4), Langkawi (76.1) and Koh Samui (73.7). Maldives, Bali and Phuket have maintained their last year’s ranking.

Kyoto claims the Best Asian City for the first time after beating Bangkok, a consistent winner since the ranking started.

In the same survey, two Manila-based hotels made it to the Top Hotels in Asia. Edsa Shangri-La, Manila was ranked at 54th with a score of 89.3 (ranked at 100th with a score of 83.9 points last year). The Peninsula Manila is at 111th with a rating of 83.7 points.

Every year since 1988, a select sample of Condé Nast Traveler readers have taken the Readers’ Choice Survey. The questionnaire is available to all readers through a secure website. This year, there were 28,876 responses from readers with combined eight million votes. They were tabulated by Global Market Insite Inc., of Boston.

The annual Readers’ Choice Awards is derived from the Readers’ Choice Survey, the largest independent poll of consumers’ preferences in the U.S.
Each candidate was rated, criterion by criterion, on a five-point scale: excellent, very good, good, fair and poor. Criterion scores, which represent the percentage of respondents rating a candidate excellent or very good, were averaged to determine the final scores.

Questionnaires contained lists of candidates (individual cities, hotels, etc.) and write-ins were allowed. Only candidates that received a required minimum number of responses were deemed eligible for an award.
Resorts were rated on activities/facilities, food/dining, location, overall design, rooms and service.

Hotels were rated on food/dining, location, overall design, rooms and service.
Island destinations were rated on activities, atmosphere/ambience, beaches, friendliness, lodging, restaurants and scenery.

The resorts and islands were grouped into the United States, Canada, Mexico, Carribean/Atlantic, Oceania, Central and South America; Asia, Africa and the Middle East; and Europe.

A separate list, The Global Top 100, ranks hotels, resorts and cruise lines that achieved near perfection, with no score below 94.3.

The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai in Pudong clinched the top spot this year with near perfect score of 99.2. No Philippine-based company made it to this year’s list.

Another publication, the New York-based Travel + Leisure magazine, named Cebu among the “best islands in Asia” twice (last year at number 3 and in 2009 at number 4) in the release of its World’s Best Awards, evaluating hotels, airlines, cruises islands and cities all over the world.

Condé Nast Traveler is an American magazine published by Condé Nast Publications, which specializes in luxury travel and reviews of high-priced hotels, products and services. In 2008, it was named one of the top 10 magazines in the U.S. by both Adweek and Advertising Age.

A UK edition, Condé Nast Traveller, uses the British spelling for the title. The format and content are very similar to the U.S. edition.

^^ The article is quite confusing.

"Cebu returns to 8th best
By Boboi Costas, CDN
Friday | June 29, 2012

After being excluded last year (Since the article was written this year, I assume the writer meant 'last year' as 2011), Cebu island bounces back at number 8 (I assume that that would be this year, as it bounces from being shut out in 2011 ). An international magazine that specializes in luxury travel has ranked Cebu as the 8th best island destination in Asia for 2011. (And I thought they were excluded last year?)

This article is so confusing and poorly written.

^^ Well, its as if your new to these confusing and misleading media reports from time to time... it's more fun reading newspapers in the Philippines.

Just take note about the years Cebu was included in the list and you will know it was only in 2010 that it was not included..

7th place - 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009

8th place - 2005, 2006, 2011

Boracay loses 200,000 Chinese visitors
By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) Updated June 30, 2012 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=822471&publicationSubCategoryId=63

KALIBO, Aklan , Philippines – The territorial row between the Philippines and China has taken its toll on Boracay Island, which lost around 200,000 Chinese visitors after travel agencies from Beijing suspended travel packages to Manila last May.

Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez noted that Chinese tourists constitute around a fifth of the visitors of the world-famous tourist spot.

“The ban imposed by China was a setback somehow,” Marquez told reporters in a press conference here last Thursday.

“Some carriers had to cancel flights. We lost a big chunk (of visitors). The Chinese represent 15 to 20 percent of tourists,” he added.

Marquez said about 986,000 visitors passed through their province’s ports last year. Hotel bookings, however, reached about 1.2 million as it included those who did not travel by sea.

About 60,000 Chinese tourists visit Boracay every year through direct international flights from China.

Based on Marquez’s estimates, Chinese tourists who canceled their trips to Boracay numbered from about 180,000 to 240,000.

Marquez is hopeful that the dispute between China and the Philippines over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal will be resolved peacefully.



“Nobody wants enmity. We want to coexist peacefully,” he said.

Last month, Chinese travel agencies suspended tourist packages to the Philippines amid a tense territorial row between the two countries over the Panatag Shoal.

Chinese travel agencies even promised refund to customers who have booked trips in a move viewed by some observers as a way to pressure the Philippines to yield to China’s position on the issue.

Known internationally as Scarborough Shoal, Panatag Shoal is located 124 nautical miles from the nearest base point in Zambales.

The area is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone as provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

A standoff ensued on April 10 after Chinese maritime surveillance ships prevented the Philippine Navy from arresting Chinese fishermen who had engaged in illegal fishing and harvesting of endangered species in the area.

The Philippines has protested China’s action and has called for a rules-based approach to resolve the row.

China, however, insisted that it has sovereignty over the area even if it is a signatory to UNCLOS.

Beijing has also rejected efforts to involve the international community in the dispute, which has raised concerns among governments that are worried about its impact on freedom of navigation.

Both Manila and Beijing back peaceful means to resolve the row despite reports of bullying by Chinese ships of Filipino vessels and fishermen.

Latest surveillance reports from the Navy revealed that a total of 28 Chinese ships and boats are still in the shoal, 23 of them inside the lagoon of the disputed area.

Manila no longer has ships in the hotly contested area after President Aquino ordered two Philippine vessels to leave the shoal this month allegedly due to bad weather.

Ordered to return to port were a Philippine Coast Guard ship and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel which have symbolized the country’s claim over the area.

It remains unclear whether Malacañang would order a redeployment of Philippine vessels in the shoal.

^^ Being somebody from Aklan, I don't give a shit about the fall in Chinese tourists in Boracay. They are not our only market. Flights between Korea and Kalibo are increasing, flights to SG and KL coming soon as well as possible direct flights to Middle East. There are also seasonal charter flights to Russia. Our tourist industry survived even during when everyone were saying their beaches were better than Boracay and even when National media bashed it and declared the waters unsafe.. we survived. We survived during SARS and during the hostage taking in Manila. Boracay and Aklan survived and thrived without government support.

THE AKLANONS ARE NOT BEGGARS. We don't beg for Chinese money.

^^ Well, its as if your new to these confusing and misleading media reports from time to time... it's more fun reading newspapers in the Philippines.

Just take note about the years Cebu was included in the list and you will know it was only in 2010 that it was not included..

7th place - 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009

8th place - 2005, 2006, 2011

Thanks sana soon we have a Philippine Island (Cebu or otherwise) it to number 1.

http://www.nscb.gov.ph/sexystats/2012/20120606_fig1.jpg

http://www.nscb.gov.ph/sexystats/2012/20120606_fig2.jpg






Visitor Arrivals in selected ASEAN Countries (http://www.nscb.gov.ph/sexystats/2012/SS20120606_tourism.asp#fig1)

^^ We're did I get it? Of course, its there in the news article that's it. Here's the article though...

Cebu returns to 8th best
By Boboi Costas, CDN
Friday | June 29, 2012

After being excluded last year, Cebu island bounces back at number 8. An international magazine that specializes in luxury travel has ranked Cebu as the 8th best island destination in Asia for 2011.

The Condé Nast Traveler survey also recognized Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Mactan Island, Cebu, in the category of Top Resorts in Asia. It was the resort’s second time to make the list.

In a field of 20 in Asia, the high-end Mactan resort ranked number 14 with 84.8, a notch higher than last year’s 83.2 points. Another Shangri-La property, the Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa, was ranked no. 17 with 83.8 points. The world’s best resort is the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai in Pudong with a score of 99.2 points, while the Best Resort in Asia is the Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali (95.7 points).

The results, released last week, are from Condé Nast’s 24th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards, a listing of the best cities, islands, hotels, transportation and resorts worldwide for 2011.

There are 1,285 top scorers all over the world.

“The demand for excellence in travel has never been higher, and the results of the 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards reflect the most exacting standards by the world’s most discerning travelers—the readers of Condé Nast Traveler,” said editor in chief Klara Glowczewska.

Cebu bounced back this year (2011) at number 8 (77.2 points) after being shut out and dislodged by Luzon island last year (2010).

Still, it failed to surpass Luzon ranking this year at no. 6 (77.9 points) on the list of Top Island Destinations. Luzon was ranked at no. 7 last year (75.1 points). Cebu is a small island in the Visayas with a population of 3 million compared with Luzon’s 48 million. Luzon includes Metro Manila and regions of Ilocos, Bicol, Central Luzon, Cagayan and the Cordilleras.

Cebu has occupied the 7th place four times in the magazine’s annual survey: 72.6 in 2009, 70.9 in 2008, 72.3 in 2007 and 72.8 in 2004. Twice, it has been ranked 8th best island destination by the same survey: in 2006 with 71.0 points and in 2005, with 69.5 points.

In the category of Asia, the top ten best islands destinations are the following: Maldives (87.5), Bali (84.30), Phuket (80.0), Seychelles (79.9), Malaysian Borneo (79.2), Mauritius (77.4), Langkawi (76.1) and Koh Samui (73.7). Maldives, Bali and Phuket have maintained their last year’s ranking.

Kyoto claims the Best Asian City for the first time after beating Bangkok, a consistent winner since the ranking started.

In the same survey, two Manila-based hotels made it to the Top Hotels in Asia. Edsa Shangri-La, Manila was ranked at 54th with a score of 89.3 (ranked at 100th with a score of 83.9 points last year). The Peninsula Manila is at 111th with a rating of 83.7 points.

Every year since 1988, a select sample of Condé Nast Traveler readers have taken the Readers’ Choice Survey. The questionnaire is available to all readers through a secure website. This year, there were 28,876 responses from readers with combined eight million votes. They were tabulated by Global Market Insite Inc., of Boston.

The annual Readers’ Choice Awards is derived from the Readers’ Choice Survey, the largest independent poll of consumers’ preferences in the U.S.
Each candidate was rated, criterion by criterion, on a five-point scale: excellent, very good, good, fair and poor. Criterion scores, which represent the percentage of respondents rating a candidate excellent or very good, were averaged to determine the final scores.

Questionnaires contained lists of candidates (individual cities, hotels, etc.) and write-ins were allowed. Only candidates that received a required minimum number of responses were deemed eligible for an award.
Resorts were rated on activities/facilities, food/dining, location, overall design, rooms and service.

Hotels were rated on food/dining, location, overall design, rooms and service.
Island destinations were rated on activities, atmosphere/ambience, beaches, friendliness, lodging, restaurants and scenery.

The resorts and islands were grouped into the United States, Canada, Mexico, Carribean/Atlantic, Oceania, Central and South America; Asia, Africa and the Middle East; and Europe.

A separate list, The Global Top 100, ranks hotels, resorts and cruise lines that achieved near perfection, with no score below 94.3.

The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai in Pudong clinched the top spot this year with near perfect score of 99.2. No Philippine-based company made it to this year’s list.

Another publication, the New York-based Travel + Leisure magazine, named Cebu among the “best islands in Asia” twice (last year at number 3 and in 2009 at number 4) in the release of its World’s Best Awards, evaluating hotels, airlines, cruises islands and cities all over the world.

Condé Nast Traveler is an American magazine published by Condé Nast Publications, which specializes in luxury travel and reviews of high-priced hotels, products and services. In 2008, it was named one of the top 10 magazines in the U.S. by both Adweek and Advertising Age.

A UK edition, Condé Nast Traveller, uses the British spelling for the title. The format and content are very similar to the U.S. edition.

Oh didn't know that "Luzon" was in that list too! How about Bohol? hehe Or just let's include all 7107 islands. ;-)

^^ Being somebody from Aklan, I don't give a shit about the fall in Chinese tourists in Boracay.
i remember, nagbanana boat kami dati sa boracay, ako lang at kapatid ko yung pinoy. saka yung isang pinoy na maitim sa dulo. kinausap ako kung ano gagawin nung isang chinese, sinagot ko naman sa english na ilalagay mo lang yung vest mo tapos kakapit ka sa banana boat.sabi ng bro ko napagkamalan akong trabahador sa kakababad ko sa araw:lol:

Found a good video on youtube
_F7dBLg_VMk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F7dBLg_VMk

wow nice find they seemed to really had a great time :cheers:

wow nice find they seemed to really had a great time :cheers:

I hope they come back again!

^^ Being somebody from Aklan, I don't give a shit about the fall in Chinese tourists in Boracay. They are not our only market. Flights between Korea and Kalibo are increasing, flights to SG and KL coming soon as well as possible direct flights to Middle East. There are also seasonal charter flights to Russia. Our tourist industry survived even during when everyone were saying their beaches were better than Boracay and even when National media bashed it and declared the waters unsafe.. we survived. We survived during SARS and during the hostage taking in Manila. Boracay and Aklan survived and thrived without government support.

THE AKLANONS ARE NOT BEGGARS. We don't beg for Chinese money.

agree! that kind of article ang isa sa mga rason kung bakit tapang tapangan ang China na mangbully. Parang OA sa number ha, mas mabuti nang mabawasan ang mga tugalsik dito dahil baka pati Boracay angkinin narin nila.

Gov't to lure tourists from other countries amid China row
By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated July 01, 2012 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=822814&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The government will endeavor to attract tourists from other countries as the territorial row between the Philippines and China has taken its toll on Boracay Island, which lost around 200,000 Chinese visitors after travel agencies from Beijing suspended travel packages to Manila last May.

“We are hoping that can be sourced from other market. The arrivals can be upped from other markets that we have. We have a lot of tourists also coming in from Korea,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB.

The Philippines is also looking for other markets for banana and other fruit exports after China imposed more stringent rules.

Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez noted that Chinese tourists constitute around a fifth of the visitors of the world-famous tourist spot.

“The ban imposed by China was a setback somehow. Some carriers had to cancel flights. We lost a big chunk (of visitors). The Chinese represent 15 to 20 percent of tourists,” Marquez said.

He noted that about 986,000 visitors visit through their province’s ports last year.

Hotel bookings, however, reached about 1.2 million as it included those who did not travel by sea.

About 60,000 Chinese tourists visit Boracay every year through direct international flights from China.

Based on Marquez’s estimates, Chinese tourists who canceled their trips to Boracay numbered from about 180,000 to 240,000.

He is hopeful, however, that the dispute between China and the Philippines over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal will be resolved peacefully.

“Nobody wants enmity. We want to coexist peacefully,” he said.

Last month, Chinese travel agencies suspended tourist packages to the Philippines amid a territorial row between the two countries over Panatag Shoal.

Chinese travel agencies even promised refund to customers who have booked trips in a move viewed by some observers as a way to pressure the Philippines to yield to China’s position on the issue.

Panatag Shoal is located 124 nautical miles from the nearest base point in Zambales.

The area is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone as provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

i remember, nagbanana boat kami dati sa boracay, ako lang at kapatid ko yung pinoy. saka yung isang pinoy na maitim sa dulo. kinausap ako kung ano gagawin nung isang chinese, sinagot ko naman sa english na ilalagay mo lang yung vest mo tapos kakapit ka sa banana boat.sabi ng bro ko napagkamalan akong trabahador sa kakababad ko sa araw:lol:

agree! that kind of article ang isa sa mga rason kung bakit tapang tapangan ang China na mangbully. Parang OA sa number ha, mas mabuti nang mabawasan ang mga tugalsik dito dahil baka pati Boracay angkinin narin nila.

If only were the Chinese were decent and civilised, then yes, they are welcome to come to the Philippines and to my home province, but I don't like the insinuation that we can't stand without them. That's pure and utter BS.

^^
mak nakasabayan akong mga chinese nationals sa isang flight ko pauwi ng zamboanga, isa lang ang masasabi ko --- INGAAAY!! :cheers:

^^ Being somebody from Aklan, I don't give a shit about the fall in Chinese tourists in Boracay. They are not our only market. Flights between Korea and Kalibo are increasing, flights to SG and KL coming soon as well as possible direct flights to Middle East. There are also seasonal charter flights to Russia. Our tourist industry survived even during when everyone were saying their beaches were better than Boracay and even when National media bashed it and declared the waters unsafe.. we survived. We survived during SARS and during the hostage taking in Manila. Boracay and Aklan survived and thrived without government support.

THE AKLANONS ARE NOT BEGGARS. We don't beg for Chinese money.

Yeupz, we don't really need them. Why don't we advertise in India and even in the ASEAN itself to replace their lost numbers? I don't mind. :lol::lol:

If only were the Chinese were decent and civilised, then yes, they are welcome to come to the Philippines and to my home province, but I don't like the insinuation that we can't stand without them. That's pure and utter BS.

Even in HK, most Mainland Chinese visitors share the same behavior.

Though the one's I met in LA were considerate the fact they allowed me, my son and my pregnant wife to enter the immigration counter first before them.

EDITORIAL - A continuing effort
(The Philippine Star) Updated July 01, 2012 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=822781&publicationSubCategoryId=64

Recently the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization removed the Ifugao Rice Terraces from its list of endangered World Heritage sites, in recognition of preservation efforts. This piece of good news, however, can quickly change if the effort is not sustained.

Ifugao officials have stressed that the effort requires funding to prevent soil erosion and destructive landslides. Giant worms have been damaging the terrace walls for some time. The number of people maintaining the paddies has steadily gone down, as rice harvests with low returns have driven many villagers, especially the youth, to find other sources of livelihood elsewhere.

The Rice Terraces are among the country’s top tourist destinations. Images of the extensive terraced paddies figure prominently in the government’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tourism campaign. Banawe, and the communities all the way to Sagada, can use an infusion of investments in infrastructure that will draw more tourists. The natural attractions are there, from the terraces to Bontoc to the ancient burial grounds in Sagada. But the road network, transportation and telecommunications facilities need improvement.

To boost income, villagers can also be assisted in marketing their special highland rice, and in planting other crops that grow well in the cool climate such as coffee, cut flowers and strawberries. Assistance can also be provided so that local skills in hand weaving, woodcarving, beadwork and metalwork can be utilized in producing high-value products.

Poverty and the lack of economic opportunities are driving the people of the Cordilleras to abandon their precious heritage. The best way to sustain efforts to preserve the Ifugao Rice Terraces is to bring development to the communities that traditionally depend on the rice paddies for their livelihood. Preserving the Rice Terraces should not be equated by local communities with hardship and impoverishment, but with opportunities for a better life.

Even in HK, most Mainland Chinese visitors share the same behavior.

Though the one's I met in LA were considerate the fact they allowed me, my son and my pregnant wife to enter the immigration counter first before them.

I noticed that HKngers hated the arrival of Hu Jintao in HK a few days ago. My HK friends were disgusted of the photo of him inspecting the troops. :lol::lol::nuts:

HK people's attitude reminds me of the Taiwanese. Maybe HK wanted to be another renegade province of PRC. :lol:

Even in HK, most Mainland Chinese visitors share the same behavior.

Though the one's I met in LA were considerate the fact they allowed me, my son and my pregnant wife to enter the immigration counter first before them.

This may be off topics, nevertheless :
the problem is the same all over the world. It´s not specific a chinese character question. Once a country moves to be a world power, it needs to feed their huge population and economy, more over their military. The question always ends up in where to get oil, gas and other sources to fuel an economy. What do you think the Iraqi war all about ?

It´s a social, a political problem, not one about human beings and characters . The USA are doing exactly the same. Russia ? Same thing.

In my opinion, a wrong approach to give the fault to the people. It´s politics, not more, but no less.

well even here in singapore locals are hating the rise of numbers of Chinese people here for they are rude and generally do not abide on rules... they feel like they own any land they step foot on...

The only thing I do not like about Chinese is that they generally do not know the concept of "falling in line."

Boracay loses 200,000 Chinese visitors
By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) Updated June 30, 2012 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=822471&publicationSubCategoryId=63

KALIBO, Aklan , Philippines – The territorial row between the Philippines and China has taken its toll on Boracay Island, which lost around 200,000 Chinese visitors after travel agencies from Beijing suspended travel packages to Manila last May.

Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez noted that Chinese tourists constitute around a fifth of the visitors of the world-famous tourist spot.

“The ban imposed by China was a setback somehow,” Marquez told reporters in a press conference here last Thursday.

“Some carriers had to cancel flights. We lost a big chunk (of visitors). The Chinese represent 15 to 20 percent of tourists,” he added.

Marquez said about 986,000 visitors passed through their province’s ports last year. Hotel bookings, however, reached about 1.2 million as it included those who did not travel by sea.

About 60,000 Chinese tourists visit Boracay every year through direct international flights from China.

Based on Marquez’s estimates, Chinese tourists who canceled their trips to Boracay numbered from about 180,000 to 240,000.

Marquez is hopeful that the dispute between China and the Philippines over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal will be resolved peacefully.



“Nobody wants enmity. We want to coexist peacefully,” he said.

Last month, Chinese travel agencies suspended tourist packages to the Philippines amid a tense territorial row between the two countries over the Panatag Shoal.

Chinese travel agencies even promised refund to customers who have booked trips in a move viewed by some observers as a way to pressure the Philippines to yield to China’s position on the issue.

Known internationally as Scarborough Shoal, Panatag Shoal is located 124 nautical miles from the nearest base point in Zambales.

The area is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone as provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

A standoff ensued on April 10 after Chinese maritime surveillance ships prevented the Philippine Navy from arresting Chinese fishermen who had engaged in illegal fishing and harvesting of endangered species in the area.

The Philippines has protested China’s action and has called for a rules-based approach to resolve the row.

China, however, insisted that it has sovereignty over the area even if it is a signatory to UNCLOS.

Beijing has also rejected efforts to involve the international community in the dispute, which has raised concerns among governments that are worried about its impact on freedom of navigation.

Both Manila and Beijing back peaceful means to resolve the row despite reports of bullying by Chinese ships of Filipino vessels and fishermen.

Latest surveillance reports from the Navy revealed that a total of 28 Chinese ships and boats are still in the shoal, 23 of them inside the lagoon of the disputed area.

Manila no longer has ships in the hotly contested area after President Aquino ordered two Philippine vessels to leave the shoal this month allegedly due to bad weather.

Ordered to return to port were a Philippine Coast Guard ship and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel which have symbolized the country’s claim over the area.

It remains unclear whether Malacañang would order a redeployment of Philippine vessels in the shoal.

http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/8018/pucha.jpg

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/8449/pucha001.jpg
hahah.. May MOB Dance ng KPOP :D

It's a rest PERIOD of the Island this report is another confusing POOR MEDIA (Paulit ulit) Governor Marquez says it's FUNNY:nuts::lol: KIA is still JAMPACKED even lean season the looses of Chinese is not affected a dent in fact KOREANS, Taiwanese, & Hong Kong occupy the GAP and more EUROPEANS on the record. Individual Traveller are still coming on the Island via Hong Kong-Kalibo and Taipei-Kalibo.

via RadioRGMA/Kalibo

well even here in singapore locals are hating the rise of numbers of Chinese people here for they are rude and generally do not abide on rules... they feel like they own any land they step foot on...

Remember that Chinese mainlander who killed a Singaporean cabbie and his Japanese passenger? Tsk.

The only thing I do not like about Chinese is that they generally do not know the concept of "falling in line."


Courtesy seems to be an alien concept for East Asians (except Japan). They are rude even in their own countries, they would push, shove, snarl at you. Good thing the Koreans are getting better, but still majority are still rude.


http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/8018/pucha.jpg

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/8449/pucha001.jpg
hahah.. May MOB Dance ng KPOP :D

It's a rest PERIOD of the Island this report is another confusing POOR MEDIA (Paulit ulit) Governor Marquez says it's FUNNY:nuts::lol: KIA is still JAMPACKED even lean season the looses of Chinese is not affected a dent in fact KOREANS, Taiwanese, & Hong Kong occupy the GAP and more EUROPEANS on the record. Individual Traveller are still coming on the Island via Hong Kong-Kalibo and Taipei-Kalibo.

via RadioRGMA/Kalibo


Yeah, the country probably thought that Aklanons don't have a say in these things. I rarely overtly identify my province because I am a Filipino first before anything, but other Pinoys should understand that Aklanons are honourable people. We love our country as much as everyone else but this Philstar report makes it sound like we are beggars. Ridiculous. :bash::bash::ohno::ohno:

Definitely not! WE DON"T beg for TOURIST to come, yes we promote but at least WE ARE NOT LOBBYING like others do :lol::lol:

This may be off topics, nevertheless :
the problem is the same all over the world. It´s not specific a chinese character question. Once a country moves to be a world power, it needs to feed their huge population and economy, more over their military. The question always ends up in where to get oil, gas and other sources to fuel an economy. What do you think the Iraqi war all about ?

It´s a social, a political problem, not one about human beings and characters . The USA are doing exactly the same. Russia ? Same thing.

In my opinion, a wrong approach to give the fault to the people. It´s politics, not more, but no less.

The difference: Chinese fatheads does not want to pay on thoss resources owned by other countries - that's whay it's easier for them to grab them with their military might. They want all of them just for themselves.

The reason why middle eastern countries are rich from their sources of oil is because we pay to acquire them.

I see the same pattern happening between Iraq-Kuwaiti issue with China-Philippines. Same story.

The only thing I do not like about Chinese is that they generally do not know the concept of "falling in line."

They dont really mean to be rude when they cut you in the line, its just that they were not brought up to that kind of courtesy or system.
Koreans are also like that, they dont even say thank you for acknowledgment or sorry when they just bump you direct, but for them it's all "normal".

They dont really mean to be rude when they cut you in the line, its just that they were not brought up to that kind of courtesy or system.
Koreans are also like that, they dont even say thank you for acknowledgment or sorry when they just bump you direct, but for them it's all "normal".

North Korean tourists if they are ever able to afford to leave their hermit kingdom should be better then lol .

They dont really mean to be rude when they cut you in the line, its just that they were not brought up to that kind of courtesy or system.
Koreans are also like that, they dont even say thank you for acknowledgment or sorry when they just bump you direct, but for them it's all "normal".

they are normal rude
:lol::lol::lol:

just like those normally stinky human beings:D

Remember that Chinese mainlander who killed a Singaporean cabbie and his Japanese passenger? Tsk.



yup that added to their impatience with the PRC mainlanders.. and that Ferrari accident happened after a PRC public bus driver runs over an old lady plus PRC people cutting lines, talks too loud on trains, and basically being rude...

They dont really mean to be rude when they cut you in the line, its just that they were not brought up to that kind of courtesy or system.
Koreans are also like that, they dont even say thank you for acknowledgment or sorry when they just bump you direct, but for them it's all "normal".

Obviously you haven't been to Korea. In Korea, people are more polite and social hierarchy is strictly observed. Their behaviour outside Korea isn't "normal" but I must say they are becoming a little bit better than the boorish Chinese mainlanders.

Btw, when they are rude, they are rude, no amount of sugarcoating changes that.


yup that added to their impatience with the PRC mainlanders.. and that Ferrari accident happened after a PRC public bus driver runs over an old lady plus PRC people cutting lines, talks too loud on trains, and basically being rude...


TBH, I cant tell between a Singaporean Chinese and a Chinese mainlander. They look the same to me. Maliit mata. But then again Singaporeans complain about every expat in their country, they complain about tourists even (for driving prices higher). :D

No bashing or racial remarks on this thread please.


"KING and I" musical live @ RESORTS WORLD MANILA :cheers:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-22FLxuE45-k/T5WqehjXq9I/AAAAAAAALag/dvMLvTRbrco/s1600/kingandi-poster.jpg

http://mmilive.com/uploads/events/40.jpg

I will watch this DRUM TAO. :cheers:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_nphIl49Xig/T84pUFQIrBI/AAAAAAAALWI/yl-Zll5Q2FU/s1600/drum_tao_live_in_manila.jpg

Ayus ah, naging chinese people bashing thread na ito instead of tourism. Baka mapagsabihan tayo na nag pro promote ng negative marketing nyan. Remember anyone in the world can read what you are writing. Baka pati ibang potential tourists ma turn off sa atin, at matakot pumunta dito. Too much hatred here, its searing.

GIOACHINO ROSSINI'S

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

IL BARBIERE DI SIVILIA
"THE GREATEST COMIC OPERA OF ALL"

LIVE IN MANILA! @ CCP MAIN THEATER, JULY 13 AND 14, 2012

http://heart-2-heart-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/pia-press-conference-may-8-for-zrt-speech-1.jpg

http://heart-2-heart-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/pia-press-conference-may-8-for-zrt-speech-2.jpg

RB1cyFhj5GQ
http://heart-2-heart-online.com/?s=jim\\s+global+beer+exchange&asl_sortby=relevance&asl_order=desc&show=slide&paged=12

^^ Being somebody from Aklan, I don't give a shit about the fall in Chinese tourists in Boracay. They are not our only market. Flights between Korea and Kalibo are increasing, flights to SG and KL coming soon as well as possible direct flights to Middle East. There are also seasonal charter flights to Russia. Our tourist industry survived even during when everyone were saying their beaches were better than Boracay and even when National media bashed it and declared the waters unsafe.. we survived. We survived during SARS and during the hostage taking in Manila. Boracay and Aklan survived and thrived without government support.

THE AKLANONS ARE NOT BEGGARS. We don't beg for Chinese money.

I understand your frustration but can you at least tone down your statements. It really sounded very arrogant, unhospitable at least. You can just say, "Im sorry that the chinese people decided not to come to boracay for their holidays but the country's interest comes first" Baka kasi mabasa ng mga foreigner ang message mo medyo matakot.

Remember paikot ikot lang ang mundo. Your best friend now can be your worst enemy later and vice versa. Lets not close any doors for we dont know we might need them later. Lets be a lil diplomatic in our response. Those chinese PLA leaders maybe acting like uncivilized brutes but we are better than them so lets not stoop in their levels.

Ayus ah, naging chinese people bashing thread na ito instead of tourism. Baka mapagsabihan tayo na nag pro promote ng negative marketing nyan. Remember anyone in the world can read what you are writing. Baka pati ibang potential tourists ma turn off sa atin, at matakot pumunta dito. Too much hatred here, its searing.

Right. Let's show to the world that Filipinos are cultured and respect other people.

I understand your frustration but can you at least tone down your statements. It really sounded very arrogant, unhospitable at least. You can just say, "Im sorry that the chinese people decided not to come to boracay for their holidays but the country's interest comes first" Baka kasi mabasa ng mga foreigner ang message mo medyo matakot.

Remember paikot ikot lang ang mundo. Your best friend now can be your worst enemy later and vice versa. Lets not close any doors for we dont know we might need them later. Lets be a lil diplomatic in our response. Those chinese PLA leaders maybe acting like uncivilized brutes but we are better than them so lets not stoop in their levels.

Being hospitable has its limits. When a guest overstays their welcome, you usually show them the door. No need to rub it our faces. That article insinuates that it's the end of the world for Boracay just because some 200,000 Chinese decided to take their vacations elsewhere. My statement(s) might sound arrogant but sometimes strong actions need strong words. This is not the time to hem and haw -- the Chinese mainlanders must understand that we will not go hungry even without their money. These mainlanders are arrogant and they think they own the world- they must be put in their proper places.

Tourists to the Philippines must understand this, that while we welcome everyone, there are certain limits that must not be breached. Hospitality goes two ways: the hosts and the guests must both behave in an acceptable way.

Right. Let's show to the world that Filipinos are cultured and respect other people.

One need to respect oneself first before being respected by others.

Back to Tourism:

Taiwan TV show, 2011:
2eUlDgTgfuA

It looks like the crew had a great time and came back recently, 2012 :banana::

X1XJprg1Vso

Being hospitable has its limits. When a guest overstays their welcome, you usually show them the door. No need to rub it our faces. That article insinuates that it's the end of the world for Boracay just because some 200,000 Chinese decided to take their vacations elsewhere. My statement(s) might sound arrogant but sometimes strong actions need strong words. This is not the time to hem and haw -- the Chinese mainlanders must understand that we will not go hungry even without their money. These mainlanders are arrogant and they think they own the world- they must be put in their proper places.

Tourists to the Philippines must understand this, that while we welcome everyone, there are certain limits that must not be breached. Hospitality goes two ways: the hosts and the guests must both behave in an acceptable way.

RCCL Eyes Boracay and Palawan as next destination of the future.
CALLING DOT AND DOTC WE NEED A CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL in Caticlan to berth this ships not just anchorage our revenue contribution to DOT can sustain this Project.
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4125/rcclboracay.jpg
http://www.ttgasia.com/article.php?article_id=3921&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Other than Boracay / Palawan, there would be a cruise ship terminal located in a major urban area.

Cebu is the perfect city for such.

Back to Tourism:


It looks like the crew had a great time and came back recently, 2012 :banana::

X1XJprg1Vso

Nice! Thanks for sharing.

Other than Boracay / Palawan, there would be a cruise ship terminal located in a major urban area.

Cebu is the perfect city for such.

Cruise Ship Port of Call perspective ( But still depends to the Cruise ship Co. )

Subic: City, History/Heritage

Manila: City, History/Heritage, Gastronomy

Cebu: City, History/Heritage, Gastronomy

Iloilo/Bacolod:City, History/Heritage, Gastronomy

Zamboanga: City, History/Heritage, Gastronomy

Davao: City, History/Heritage, Gastronomy

Boracay/Palawan: Beach, Gastonomy, Water sports activity

if I forgot any place just add nalang:)

Baguio :lol:

Anyway, the reason why I prefer Cebu because unlike Manila, the city is a combination of business and leisure. Mactan Island and it's beaches are within short distance from the city centre.

Also most key tourist areas are within short distance.

EDITORIAL - Alternatives
(The Philippine Star) Updated July 02, 2012 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=823138&publicationSubCategoryId=64

Boracay Island lost an estimated 200,000 tourists from China last May, according to reports. Travel agencies in Beijing reportedly suspended tours to Boracay apparently amid the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China over Panatag Shoal off Zambales.

The standoff is expected to continue as the Philippines prepares to lift a fishing ban in Panatag by mid-July. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has announced it will assist the Coast Guard in providing security to Filipinos who fish in the shoal, a traditional fishing ground for Zambales residents.

With the dispute not likely to be settled soon, the government should assist affected quarters in finding alternatives to the Chinese market. Boracay is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, and there are several countries that the Philippines has barely tapped for travelers.

There are also alternative markets for Philippine products such as bananas, whose entry the Chinese have limited ostensibly due to a pest infestation. While diplomatic and trade officials work out differences with their Chinese counterparts, it would be prudent for sectors affected by the standoff in Panatag to seek opportunities in other countries.

The loss of 200,000 tourists is strongly felt in a country with fewer than four million foreign visitors in 2011. But the incident should provide additional impetus for the government to intensify its efforts to attract more tourists from other countries. The Department of Tourism has launched a new marketing campaign, telling the world that it’s more fun in the Philippines.

Thailand attracted 19 million foreign tourists in 2011 - a year when massive flooding inundated even parts of its capital Bangkok. The Philippines, blessed with many natural attractions, is aiming for a steady increase in foreign tourists until 2016. If the territorial dispute with China becomes a barrier, it should serve as a challenge for the Philippines to work harder to achieve its objective.

meron bang local interisland cruise sa PInas? ganda at sarap siguro kung meron from Manila to mindoro to boracay to iloilo to negros to cebu to bohol to camiguin etc...:)

meron bang local interisland cruise sa PInas? ganda at sarap siguro kung meron from Manila to mindoro to boracay to iloilo to negros to cebu to bohol to camiguin etc...:)

Perfect idea as long as these cruises are well secured and someone in this country is willing to invest on it.

meron bang local interisland cruise sa PInas? ganda at sarap siguro kung meron from Manila to mindoro to boracay to iloilo to negros to cebu to bohol to camiguin etc...:)
Excellent idea, doc. One of the best I've read for a long time. Indeed, owing to the archipelagic nature of our .. errrm .. archipelago, interisland cruises should be come so naturally.

For those with more nostalgic intentions, sailboats, huge sailboats like those I've seen in the Nordic countries, England, Canada & Australia/New Zealand should also be encouraged.

Like the diver's sailboat, Philippine Siren. Ain't she a beauty indeed? ;)
http://www.divephotoguide.com/images/imguploader/407798081.jpg

http://www.divephotoguide.com/images/imguploader/737250894.jpg
http://www.divephotoguide.com/underwater-photography-special-features/article/sailing-sirens-worldwide-dive-sail-underwater-photography-philippines/


:shifty: Unfortunately, desafortunadamente, many Pinoys are heavily addicted only and solely to Low Cost Carriers and airplanes.

yun kasing pinupuntahan ng royal carribean gaya ng Phuket bali at penang eh di naman masyadong kagandahan...mas maganda pa mga islands natin, sana nga me maginvest in the future for our own interisland cruise:)

Wow! ang ganda naman nyan Mercato! sana nga meron din tayong ganyan! :)

Baguio :lol:

Anyway, the reason why I prefer Cebu because unlike Manila, the city is a combination of business and leisure. Mactan Island and it's beaches are within short distance from the city centre.

Also most key tourist areas are within short distance.

I never been to Mactan yung Beach ba nila Free? ang pagkakaintidi ko it's belong to Private beach fronts like Shangri-la or the former Hilton? unlike sa ibang beach na free sa lahat. Except syempre sa mga ibang isla nila like Kamotes Is. and Batayan for example.

Wow! ang ganda naman nyan Mercato! sana nga meron din tayong ganyan! :)
Atin nga yan, doc. :colgate: The boat is of Southeast Asian traditional design. Meet the S/Y Philippine Siren. The 130-foot (40 meter) vessel is a true Phinisi -- a traditional two-masted Indonesian sailboat, made of ironwood and teak.

heto ang routa ng Philippine Siren
http://www.divephotoguide.com/images/imguploader/351915783.jpg

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6bbzotPw61qatx0z.jpg

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4z26e2s521qatx0z.jpg

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4z1eoA9hj1qatx0z.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-akuH6XyXwlU/T9h378q2XHI/AAAAAAAAD9Q/yv2CPfnUK2E/s1600/4f262d442c5a716982ca2b67a8153915b3db1dc1.jpg

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5y9gyF4k51qatx0z.jpg

http://manilaconcertscene.tumblr.com/

Excellent idea, doc. One of the best I've read for a long time. Indeed, owing to the archipelagic nature of our .. errrm .. archipelago, interisland cruises should be come so naturally.

For those with more nostalgic intentions, sailboats, huge sailboats like those I've seen in the Nordic countries, England, Canada & Australia/New Zealand should also be encouraged.

Like the diver's sailboat, Philippine Siren. Ain't she a beauty indeed? ;)
http://www.divephotoguide.com/images/imguploader/407798081.jpg

http://www.divephotoguide.com/images/imguploader/737250894.jpg
http://www.divephotoguide.com/underwater-photography-special-features/article/sailing-sirens-worldwide-dive-sail-underwater-photography-philippines/


:shifty: Unfortunately, desafortunadamente, many Pinoys are heavily addicted only and solely to Low Cost Carriers and airplanes.

How about the capacity of that beautiful boat?

natutuwa ako dito habang nagpapasyente hehhee " archipelagic nature of errmmm our achipelago". Sandali Mercato, yan bang Phiippine Siren eh pede for public use? ganda talaga!

Subic Bay sails ahead with regional cruise hub aspirations
Rosa Ocampo, Manila, June 12, 2012

IN its bid to become a regional cruise hub, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is negotiating with three international ships to include the port in their travel itineraries, according to chairman and administrator, Roberto Garcia.



Garcia said Subic Bay had “a very good start” when the London-based MV Spirit of Adventure became the first cruise ship to dock at the port in February with 378 passengers, most of whom were Europeans. The liner also called at Palawan, Cebu and Manila as part of its South-east Asia itinerary.



He said Subic has the potential to become a cruise hub. “In addition to having a deep natural harbour that can accommodate all types of vessels at the same time, Subic Bay provides convenient quayside disembarkation and boarding.



“Its location along major shipping lanes and proximity to favourite Asian cruise destinations, as well as the inclusion of SBMA as a founding member of the Asian Cruise Terminals Association, gives Subic Bay a distinct edge and position to capture a share of the fast-growing Asian cruise market.”



Major tourist attractions such as theme parks, ecotourism sights and shopping districts are also situated within a few minutes’ drive from the passenger terminal.




http://www.ttgasia.com/article.php?article_id=3823

Atin nga yan, doc. :colgate: The boat is of Southeast Asian traditional design. Meet the S/Y Philippine Siren. The 130-foot (40 meter) vessel is a true Phinisi -- a traditional two-masted Indonesian sailboat, made of ironwood and teak.

heto ang routa ng Philippine Siren
http://www.divephotoguide.com/images/imguploader/351915783.jpg

malapit lang sa lugar ko:D

dami kasing world class resorts dyan:D


malapit ko na rin ma explore yan:D

How about the capacity of that beautiful boat?natutuwa ako dito habang nagpapasyente hehhee " archipelagic nature of errmmm our achipelago". Sandali Mercato, yan bang Phiippine Siren eh pede for public use? ganda talaga!
Of course it is, the boat is Indonesian made, using traditional ancient techniques since the times of the Austronesians. Made of indigenous wood na hindi naman siguro ganun kalayo sa mga Phil. hardwood natin. Therefore it is not that hugely expensive if say, the boat was Made in Japan, Made in Sweden or Made in USA. Of course, if Made in China, forget it hindi ako sasakay. :lol:

Good, perfect. We can reintroduce ourselves to the ways and methods of our ancient austronesian forefathers. It is not a big boat but it is also not a small boat. But it has been proven commercially viable in interisland indonesian travels. Best part is, the main driving force, the wind, is absolutely free. The only petrol carried on board is for lighting and airconditioning.

The Philippine Siren accdg to the article is 130feet (40metres) and has the capacity of 8 bath en suite, airconditioned rooms equal to 5 star hotels. I guess other boat models can be scaled down for business class and economy models if need be. For all intents and purposes, Phinisis are Yachts and Schooners.

How come we never heard of it before? Coz like I said, Pinoys are only and solely addicted to airplanes. Archipelago nga, kulang naman sa nationwide airports at siksikan lahat sa mahal na eroplano. Kung tumaob man ang mga phinisi boats, hindi ka pa rin malulunod like iron ships coz by golly, wood floats no matter what.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinisi
The pinisi or phinisi is a traditional Indonesian two-masted sailing ship. It was mainly built by the Konjo tribe, a sub-ethnic group of Bugis-Makassar mostly residents at the Bulukumba regency of South Sulawesi but was and and still is used widely by the Buginese and Makassarese, mostly for transportation and agricultural purposes.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Taopere.jpg
Pinisi boats at the port of Paotere in Makassar

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Pinisi-10.JPG
Drawing of a Pinisi of Lamba type

http://my-dreamboat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/buginese-schooner-phinisi.jpg
Buginese schooner, or phinisi

http://www.marifor.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=191&d=1156072603
create a cost effective link between traditional Conjo Boat builders of South Sulawesi and owners interested in the strong sea going vessels of the Bugis People of Indonesia. The history of the Bugis Phinisi Schooner is documented in history as the leaders in wooden vessel contruction and maritime capabilities.

It's all a matter of imagination, really. Consider our Philippine Balangay Boat which is indeed similar. How many are in actual use within Philippine waters? Or more importantly, how many even think about it at all?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MskQaRpvldM/TgGuSV1u7cI/AAAAAAAAAB8/rEQabDxe2k8/s1600/balangay.jpg
Filipino Balangay Boat.

dp oops mali thread. :lol: :lol:

just watched a british documentary regarding british tourists or foreigners vacationing in thailand...some of them were robbed, hospitalised because of violence, etc...and when they faced the police they had a hard time explaining their sides because of language barrier..the police only knew very minimal english...i was telling myself that its actually the philippines advantage that our police speaks english functionally...:)

just watched a british documentary regarding british tourists or foreigners vacationing in thailand...some of them were robbed, hospitalised because of violence, etc...and when they faced the police they had a hard time explaining their sides because of language barrier..the police only knew very minimal english...i was telling myself that its actually the philippines advantage that our police speaks english functionally...:)

The Royal Thai Police has it's own tourist police in which is can speak functional English.

http://steveandamber.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/tourist-police.jpg

On the other hand, there are police officers here that are poor in English especially those of lower ranks.

But Thailand has harsh laws on it's citizens who have committed crimes against foreign tourists. We should also enforce similar laws.

There are some tourist police in Tagaytay i think ive seen them from time to time when im there .

There are some tourist police in Tagaytay i think ive seen them from time to time when im there .

Yes, you usually see them driving a Ford Focus.

But again, PNP should deploy such unit in key tourist areas around the city.

The Royal Thai Police has it's own tourist police in which is can speak functional English.

http://steveandamber.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/tourist-police.jpg

On the other hand, there are police officers here that are poor in English especially those of lower ranks.

But Thailand has harsh laws on it's citizens who have committed crimes against foreign tourists. We should also enforce similar laws.
what im pertaining to are the police in the offices or headquarters...most of the tourist police are volunteers coming from english speaking countries and most of them if not all are like "field police"...police left in the offices who process the complaints are local thai police.
but still philippines police's english command is better..

I'm actually amazed that Taal Lake is actually connected to the sea via the Pansipit river!

So that's why they say there used to be bull sharks and all sorts of fishes in Taal Lake, they go through the Pansipit river. Galing.

I like those boats, wish I could have one of those in Taal.

Wow i didn't know that river existed there seem to be a few vids on youtube .

AYeItDFyRhY

With regards reintroducing boating culture in the Phillippines i think it would be better if we first shut down the fishpens in Laguna bay and restore the lakes environment, then we can set up multiple private marina's and set up a Metro Manila/Laguna lake water transport system with piers around the bay, a new highway system to encompass the lake should also help development of satelite towns and living subdivisions to help decongest Metro Manila, they could also create an entire bicycle lane around the lake perhaps even hold an annual tour de Laguna lake thing ... .

It would be like a starter boating experience small sail boats and motorboats can easily roam around the lake without alot of trouble and there could be lots of other watersports and water related tourism activities around the lake like recreative fishing snorkeling and whatnot all practiced right in Metro Manila's backyard, this would definetely raise the metropolises living quality especially since we have so few green spaces in the city itself for outdoors activity .

Once people got a taste for it then they might consider buying larger yachts and sail boats to ply the wider seas around the country .

http://www.ttgasia.com/article.php?article_id=3823

Excellent vision.

‘Stop overcharging foreigners’

By Katlene O. Cacho
Monday, July 2, 2012

ESTABLISHMENTS should stop charging foreigners higher, tourism stakeholders told the Department of Tourism last Thursday.

“Nationality shouldn’t be a basis for price difference,” Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 Director Ahmed Quizon said during the panel discussion of the Tourism Congress last Thursday.

Cuizon said foreigners felt they were being robbed with the huge differences in prices. He said many people think foreigners are rich and charge them higher.


READ MORE (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2012/07/02/stop-overcharging-foreigners-229846)

‘Stop overcharging foreigners’

By Katlene O. Cacho
Monday, July 2, 2012

ESTABLISHMENTS should stop charging foreigners higher, tourism stakeholders told the Department of Tourism last Thursday.

“Nationality shouldn’t be a basis for price difference,” Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 Director Ahmed Quizon said during the panel discussion of the Tourism Congress last Thursday.

Cuizon said foreigners felt they were being robbed with the huge differences in prices. He said many people think foreigners are rich and charge them higher.


READ MORE (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2012/07/02/stop-overcharging-foreigners-229846)
It's like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs! I wonder why this is not discussed in the national fora!

I personally learned about this thing in Palawan where a foreigner intimated how much it costed them for their visit!

It's like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs! I wonder why this is not discussed in the national fora!

I personally learned about this thing in Palawan where a foreigner intimated how much it costed them for their visit!

Did that foreigner included the price of their trips from outside the PHL to their end destination? Your statement is vague.

In Asia, it seems that tourists are viewed as such. Here in VN, once they hear you speak in another language, the costs automatically goes up. Scamming foreigners here in Hanoi are so routine I just got so used to it.

just watched a british documentary regarding british tourists or foreigners vacationing in thailand...some of them were robbed, hospitalised because of violence, etc...and when they faced the police they had a hard time explaining their sides because of language barrier..the police only knew very minimal english...i was telling myself that its actually the philippines advantage that our police speaks english functionally...:)

That's not good but Thailand is good in their PR program. They can easily maneuver this type of problem. I remember there was a gang victimizing Duty Free shoppers targeting the "affluent" western tourists. The Thai police busted the criminals.

Did that foreigner included the price of their trips from outside the PHL to their end destination? Your statement is vague.

In Asia, it seems that tourists are viewed as such. Here in VN, once they hear you speak in another language, the costs automatically goes up. Scamming foreigners here in Hanoi are so routine I just got so used to it.

really? parang ang inflation rate dyan sa Vietnam over over din noh, i remember one show sa abs-cbn katapat ng extra challenge before, it was held in Vietnam nung magtanong na kung magkano rate nang hotel 200,000 Dong daw for an 8 hours of stay, parang sa Indonesia lang kung saan ang fried kankong nasa 12,000 rupiah.

Agree with Rain.

I remember in Hongkong, the english menu has more than double the price than the posters that they have (in chinese). When we asked the lady how come the price is different from the english menu that we have compared to their posters (with pictures of the food but in chinese) for the same food, she just smiled.. We quickly just left their restaurant. They were shouting to us to come back but we were so disgruntled that we didn't turn our back.

Similarly in Boracay, when i asked about the price of a tatoo, sabi ni manong, 80 pesos lang. At the same time, a Korean asked him for the same tatoo service, 150 daw. hehe. Natawa nalang kami but I pity the Korean. Ganti gantihan lang i guess. Had similar experience ias well in Madrid and Paris. Hirap to communicate with them kaya hinayaan ko nalang.

Nah, I actually call it fair to a certain extent. (Although sometimes, the mark up is just too much of a rip off). A little increase for foreigners ain't too bad.

For the same amount of effort, their countries just pay them much much more than ours, and when they come to the Philippines, the buying power just increases several times fold.

As far as I also know, these increase in prices is mostly done by the "unofficial" business, so mostly for small business operators and peoples. I do like them when they are not hidden but are openly divulged and when the prices are not that different. As a foreign guest, I would probably understand why locals have it a bit cheaper, say up to 25 percent. But 100 % increase for foreigners is just a bit too much.

Nah, I actually call it fair to a certain extent. (Although sometimes, the mark up is just too much of a rip off). A little increase for foreigners ain't too bad.

For the same amount of effort, their countries just pay them much much more than ours, and when they come to the Philippines, the buying power just increases several times fold.

As far as I also know, these increase in prices is mostly done by the "unofficial" business, so mostly for small business operators and peoples. I do like them when they are not hidden but are openly divulged and when the prices are not that different. As a foreign guest, I would probably understand why locals have it a bit cheaper, say up to 25 percent. But 100 % increase for foreigners is just a bit too much.

I agree. I've experienced also the same. The best thing to avoid is: befriend a local and course it to your local friend - hotel rates, haggling, etc. You will get huge discounts.

really? parang ang inflation rate dyan sa Vietnam over over din noh, i remember one show sa abs-cbn katapat ng extra challenge before, it was held in Vietnam nung magtanong na kung magkano rate nang hotel 200,000 Dong daw for an 8 hours of stay, parang sa Indonesia lang kung saan ang fried kankong nasa 12,000 rupiah.

200,000 VND is about almost 10USD so that is actually cheap I think. Just refer to exchange rates to compare. But yes, inflation here is awful. If the Philippines the kind of inflation we have here, baka nagkarebolusyon na dyan.


Agree with Rain.

I remember in Hongkong, the english menu has more than double the price than the posters that they have (in chinese). When we asked the lady how come the price is different from the english menu that we have compared to their posters (with pictures of the food but in chinese) for the same food, she just smiled.. We quickly just left their restaurant. They were shouting to us to come back but we were so disgruntled that we didn't turn our back.

Similarly in Boracay, when i asked about the price of a tatoo, sabi ni manong, 80 pesos lang. At the same time, a Korean asked him for the same tatoo service, 150 daw. hehe. Natawa nalang kami but I pity the Korean. Ganti gantihan lang i guess. Had similar experience ias well in Madrid and Paris. Hirap to communicate with them kaya hinayaan ko nalang.
Nah, I actually call it fair to a certain extent. (Although sometimes, the mark up is just too much of a rip off). A little increase for foreigners ain't too bad.

For the same amount of effort, their countries just pay them much much more than ours, and when they come to the Philippines, the buying power just increases several times fold.

As far as I also know, these increase in prices is mostly done by the "unofficial" business, so mostly for small business operators and peoples. I do like them when they are not hidden but are openly divulged and when the prices are not that different. As a foreign guest, I would probably understand why locals have it a bit cheaper, say up to 25 percent. But 100 % increase for foreigners is just a bit too much.



TBH, the price differences are awful. I know how it feels to be overcharged because of nationality, sana hindi natin ginaganyan sa Pilipinas...although in some cases, mura talaga yan kumpara sa mga bansa nila.

I agree. I've experienced also the same. The best thing to avoid is: befriend a local and course it to your local friend - hotel rates, haggling, etc. You will get huge discounts.

I don't like haggling especially with small businesses. Konti lang ang profit margins nila, I don't think it is right especially in poorer countries.

Volunteer tourism gets limelight in the Philippines
Rosa Ocampo, Manila, June 27, 2012

TOUR operators in the Philippines are lining up packages with charity elements such as repairing rice terraces and building houses for needy communities to promote volunteer tourism.

The packages, which can be woven into other itineraries such as tours of Manila, Palawan, Bohol and Cebu, will first be launched at the Philippine Travel Mart from September 2-4, with the domestic market being the target audience. They will then be introduced to the international market at the PATA Travel Mart later that month.

Cesar Cruz, president of the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) said a consortium of 14 tour operators, with the association playing the role of secretariat, would operate the programme that involves repairing the Banaue Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Details of the programme are being finalised and guaranteed departures will be offered.

The Department of Tourism and PHILTOA are also discussing a programme that will allow volunteers to join Gawad Kalinga, a non-profit organisation, in building houses for the poor.

As well, tour operators will market the Cagayan de Oro Fun Help Package, offered by the Cagayan de Oro Tours and Travel Association, which reaches out to victims of a typhoon that had killed over 800 people in southern Philippines last November. Participants can contribute cash donations, go on city tours and sign up for optional activities such as whitewater rafting.

http://www.ttgasia.com/article.php?article_id=3923

Tourism boom leads to more jobs in hotels, restaurants
07/03/2012 1:48 AM

May pakinabang ang paglago ng turismo sa bansa sa mga naghahanap ng trabaho. Ayon kasi sa DOLE, in-demand ngayon ang mga chef at cook sa hotel at restaurant. Patok din ang mga heavy equipment operators na maaring kumita ng higit isandaang libong piso kada buwan. Magba-Bandila si Jasmin Romero. Bandila, Hulyo 2, 2012, Lunes

for the video:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/business/07/02/12/tourism-boom-leads-more-jobs-hotels-restaurants

Sana ganito na lang parati ang mga balita :cheers:

I found beauty in Sulu (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/07/02/12/i-found-beauty-sulu)

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/places/others/070212_sulu500a.jpg
Boracay? No, this is a spot off the coast of Maimbung, Sulu.

SULU, Philippines - Cumulus clouds that look like fluffy cotton candy hanging on a bright blue sky on the horizon took my mind off from the roar of the boat’s engine. The boat cast a shadow on the sea bed as we slowed down on the 4-feet-deep water over a sunken sand bar which was just a kilometer away from the shores of Maimbung town.

I had never looked at Sulu this way. I never thought I would; it never even crossed my mind. It’s usually the horror stories of kidnapping and fierce fighting between military troops and Moro rebels that breeze through my thoughts whenever Sulu becomes a topic of conversation.

ABS-CBN sent us here to cover the kidnapping of a Jordanian journalist. Baker Abdullah Atyani of the Dubai-based Al Arabiya network and his two Filipino crew were reported missing last June 12. Last week, the national government and the Jordanian government said he was being held captive by the Abu Sayyaff group.

But as soon as I got off the boat and took a step on the floating raft over the sunken sand bar, the fearsome image of Sulu was cleared by the cool breeze of the sea that blew on my face and hair. As I looked down on the water, a school of small fish was trying to give me a showdown as they clowned around star fishes lying on the sea bed. For a moment, I thought I was in another place.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/places/others/070212_sulu500b.jpg
Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan shows off the beauty of his province as he takes a ride on his jet ski.

Sulu Governor Sakur Tan chuckled when I told him that this scene was similar to what I had seen in Surigao, Mindoro, Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Palawan or Ilocos.

“Ang daming magandang beach at lugar dito sa amin, pero di naman nakikita ng mga tao,” said the Governor, while putting on our lunch table a tray of “curacha” (deep-sea crabs) weighing more than a kilo each the size of a watermelon. Other sumptuous dishes included grilled fish with heads as big as a tennis racquet, shredded green mangoes, grilled squid bigger than a size-12 slipper, and boiled turtle eggs, a Tausug staple.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/places/others/070212_sulu500c.jpg

more... (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/07/02/12/i-found-beauty-sulu)

^^ Tagal na akong iniimbita ng isang miyembro ng sultanato ng Sulu... I wish I'd be able to visit.

For the same amount of effort, their countries just pay them much much more than ours, and when they come to the Philippines, the buying power just increases several times fold.

But this is one of the reasons why they venture that far into what is for western tourists at least "the far east", if prices were that expensive they could just go somewhere closer to home because as beautiful as our country is there is just as many beautiful beaches and places in the west and elsewhere, also keep in mind that they would have had to pay at least a thousand Euro's just to get there and hotels etc so overall the cost isn't that less for the ordinary tourists than if they were to have stayed back in the west where a similar vacation would have probably cost less .

This is why younger western tourists who are still just begining their professional working lives and thus have less cash mainly go to the SE Asian mainland because they can live on a few Euro's per day roughing it out, if they wanted full blast comforts and a beach party theyd go for a packaged holiday to Spain or Turkey etc for several hundred Euros that's less than most tickets to SE Asia .

For S.Korean and Japanese tourists lol they probably don't have much of a choice if they want tropical destinations but i suppose there's always the south Pacific if SE Asia becomes too uncompetitive as a result of things like this .

Imo this whole salary disparity situation is really more beneficial to people like me or people of Filipino origins who live in higher income countries but have homes back in the Phillippines or ofw's and foreigners who happen to be married with a Filipino and also have somewhere to stay or expats working there who signed their contracts based on their countries of origin, but definetely not the common tourists so it is definetely not a fair or nice thing to do to them especially if we want more varied sources of tourists and not just rely on the Chinese variety .

^^ Tagal na akong iniimbita ng isang miyembro ng sultanato ng Sulu... I wish I'd be able to visit.

Sama ako... :D

Sarap talaga nang Sulu at Batanes...:cheers:

With regards reintroducing boating culture in the Phillippines i think it would be better if we first shut down the fishpens in Laguna bay and restore the lakes environment, then we can set up multiple private marina's and set up a Metro Manila/Laguna lake water transport system with piers around the bay, a new highway system to encompass the lake should also help development of satelite towns and living subdivisions to help decongest Metro Manila, they could also create an entire bicycle lane around the lake perhaps even hold an annual tour de Laguna lake thing ... .

It would be like a starter boating experience small sail boats and motorboats can easily roam around the lake without alot of trouble and there could be lots of other watersports and water related tourism activities around the lake like recreative fishing snorkeling and whatnot all practiced right in Metro Manila's backyard, this would definetely raise the metropolises living quality especially since we have so few green spaces in the city itself for outdoors activity .

Once people got a taste for it then they might consider buying larger yachts and sail boats to ply the wider seas around the country .
Oh yes indeed. Those unsightly fishpens owned by the big politicos at Laguna de Bai must go, they destroy both the ecology as well as the aesthetics of that once lovely lake. A new highway ring around the lake would have been the ideal, but it will be extremely difficult now to construct owing to the existing towns and sprawling favelas (pardon me, I forgot the filipino term for squatter town). Perhaps a first step would be to build the high rise tenements I mentioned in another thread and then haul off all those sprawling teeming masses with the proverbial quote "a place for everything and everything in its place" in mind. Only then can we free up a looot of real estate around the Lake. :D. But I digress ...

An alternate solution would be to construct the needed highway right to the centre of Talim Island on the Lake and make Talim as a Hub for sailboats, a marina yacht club. Then from there designate strategic ports around the perimeter of the Lake to service traffic for the residents there. Something like Bus stops but in this case we can call them Boat stops.

Once the Lake is reasonably cleaned up a bit, the NAWASA can own a portion of it and do its work there. After all, it's the irony of sitting next to the biggest freshwater lake and no one's using it except the fishpen owners. It can be done. The technology exists to convert even Laguna water into potable drinking water.

But if it's about the reintroduction of Boating culture, the phinisi posted on previous page are all seagoing boats. The winds are strongest in the open seas and the sails can get optimum performance on open seas. What can be done is for government to develop certain ports and introduce those schooners around the southern islands. It's a faster way of making people accept boats again.

Tourism boom leads to more jobs in hotels, restaurants
07/03/2012 1:48 AM

May pakinabang ang paglago ng turismo sa bansa sa mga naghahanap ng trabaho. Ayon kasi sa DOLE, in-demand ngayon ang mga chef at cook sa hotel at restaurant. Patok din ang mga heavy equipment operators na maaring kumita ng higit isandaang libong piso kada buwan. Magba-Bandila si Jasmin Romero. Bandila, Hulyo 2, 2012, Lunes

for the video:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/business/07/02/12/tourism-boom-leads-more-jobs-hotels-restaurants
Methinks it would be unsightly to have hotel skyscrapers springing up at certain Tourist Hot Spots like say, Malapascua or Batanes or those lovely Sulu Islands, or even the Puerto Princesa National Park. Can anyone imagine cabanas built on the cliffs near the Underground River with people throwing their usual tourist garbage bric bracs to the entrance down below. It's an exaggeration of examples, of course, but I do believe they're starting to build skyscrapers now in Boracay, arent they? :D :D

http://cdn3.gbot.me/photos/iE/po/1313665208/-Puerto_Princesa_Subterran-20000000001689326-375x500.jpg
can anyone please draw for me a hotel skyscraper atop this cliff? :D

To preserve the pristine nature of certain tourist spots, maybe the DFA can designate certain existing towns, within reasonable boating distance of course, and there create the hotel skyscraper city/ or skyscraper town whatever of their dreams. The whole point is to preserve the natural state of the Hot Spot which was what exactly made it a Hot Spot to begin with.

Methinks it would be unsightly to have hotel skyscrapers springing up at certain Tourist Hot Spots like say, Malapascua or Batanes or those lovely Sulu Islands, or even the Puerto Princesa National Park. Can anyone imagine cabanas built on the cliffs near the Underground River with people throwing their usual tourist garbage bric bracs to the entrance down below. It's an exaggeration of examples, of course, but I do believe they're starting to build skyscrapers now in Boracay, arent they? :D :D


To preserve the pristine nature of certain tourist spots, maybe the DFA can designate certain existing towns, within reasonable boating distance of course, and there create the hotel skyscraper city/ or skyscraper town whatever of their dreams. The whole point is to preserve the natural state of the Hot Spot which was what exactly made it a Hot Spot to begin with.

Someone's already built an ugly, boxy concrete hotel on Sabang Beach, near the entrance of the underground river. It's so ugly I'd like to smack the owner and the mayor who allowed its construction.


Sama ako... :D

Sarap talaga nang Sulu at Batanes...:cheers:

Hindi ako makatiming sa Sulu eh. Gusto ko pagpunta ko dun may kasama akong nasa diplomatic sector at sangkaterbang bodyguard. :lol::lol::lol:

Someone's already built an ugly, boxy concrete hotel on Sabang Beach, near the entrance of the underground river. It's so ugly I'd like to smack the owner and the mayor who allowed its construction.




Hindi ako makatiming sa Sulu eh. Gusto ko pagpunta ko dun may kasama akong nasa diplomatic sector at sangkaterbang bodyguard. :lol::lol::lol:

baka di mo kilala si sleepwalker:D

kung body guard lang pag uusapan, isang batallion meron yan:D

at isa syang diploma mill:lol:

Lonely Planet Magazine Philippines Issue 11 (https://www.facebook.com/LonelyPlanetPH?ref=ts)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/545034_402580573111531_485454013_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/600232_402580473111541_1143039800_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/s720x720/255387_402580593111529_1459122957_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/482958_402580503111538_2053820793_n.jpg


My photo in the Postcards Section..

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/582043_402591409777114_1416563685_n.jpg

^^ Nice work! :)

baka di mo kilala si sleepwalker:D

kung body guard lang pag uusapan, isang batallion meron yan:D

at isa syang diploma mill:lol:

aba eh kung may battalion pala pwede na kaming dumaan ng Lamitan nyan! :D

^^ Thanks :)

baka di mo kilala si sleepwalker:D

kung body guard lang pag uusapan, isang batallion meron yan:D

at isa syang diploma mill:lol:

OT:

Binuko mo naman ako, amigo...Akala ko, atin atin lang yon... :D

For the segment of the music-loving population who likes their music loud:

http://www.philippineconcerts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/megadeth-live-in-manila.png

http://www.wheninmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Smashing-Pumpkins-Manila.jpg

^^ Thanks :)

That's awesome. :)

‘Stop overcharging foreigners’

By Katlene O. Cacho
Monday, July 2, 2012

ESTABLISHMENTS should stop charging foreigners higher, tourism stakeholders told the Department of Tourism last Thursday.

“Nationality shouldn’t be a basis for price difference,” Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 Director Ahmed Quizon said during the panel discussion of the Tourism Congress last Thursday.

Cuizon said foreigners felt they were being robbed with the huge differences in prices. He said many people think foreigners are rich and charge them higher.


READ MORE (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2012/07/02/stop-overcharging-foreigners-229846)

It's called tourist traps.

@rain: Pansin ko nung asa HCM kami, kaming mga "colored" ay laging asa likod o asa others section while the Caucasian ones with all their $$$ ay laging choice seats :lol:

Oh yes indeed. Those unsightly fishpens owned by the big politicos at Laguna de Bai must go, they destroy both the ecology as well as the aesthetics of that once lovely lake. A new highway ring around the lake would have been the ideal, but it will be extremely difficult now to construct owing to the existing towns and sprawling favelas (pardon me, I forgot the filipino term for squatter town). Perhaps a first step would be to build the high rise tenements I mentioned in another thread and then haul off all those sprawling teeming masses with the proverbial quote "a place for everything and everything in its place" in mind. Only then can we free up a looot of real estate around the Lake. :D. But I digress ...

An alternate solution would be to construct the needed highway right to the centre of Talim Island on the Lake and make Talim as a Hub for sailboats, a marina yacht club. Then from there designate strategic ports around the perimeter of the Lake to service traffic for the residents there. Something like Bus stops but in this case we can call them Boat stops.

Once the Lake is reasonably cleaned up a bit, the NAWASA can own a portion of it and do its work there. After all, it's the irony of sitting next to the biggest freshwater lake and no one's using it except the fishpen owners. It can be done. The technology exists to convert even Laguna water into potable drinking water.

But if it's about the reintroduction of Boating culture, the phinisi posted on previous page are all seagoing boats. The winds are strongest in the open seas and the sails can get optimum performance on open seas. What can be done is for government to develop certain ports and introduce those schooners around the southern islands. It's a faster way of making people accept boats again.

The fishpens are not just the problem but the insane amount of squatters living near the lake. Derecho ebs sa lake :nuts::lol::ohno: Also, a lot of business are discharging their untreated waste directly at the lake.

Regarding the potable water from Laguna Lake, what happened to the Ayala proposal to put up a water treatment plant for this?

buti na lang daming puno ng papaya rito,:D mas maputi pa ako ngayon kesa kay Kris, ng makaupo naman ng choice seats, matangos na rin pala ilong ko, at may british accent pa:rofl:

buti na lang daming puno ng papaya rito,:D mas maputi pa ako ngayon kesa kay Kris, ng makaupo naman ng choice seats, matangos na rin pala ilong ko, at may british accent pa:rofl:
Uy, improvements galore, fafa!:lol::lol::lol::lol:

The little airport that could:

Despite threats from China, KLO is growing and MPH is under expansion!


http://01.media.lifeout.com/000/424/331/photos/1341317419-lg.jpg

Share ko lang :)

Credit to the owner:)

Abi ko migs nag pa Hong Kong ka eon:):)

Eto pa ang isa :banana:

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/2778/domesticroute.jpg
www.facebook.com/KLORPVK

:cheers2:

We recently went to Oslob, Cebu for whaleshark watching. And we have this amazing shot taken by out boatman/underwater photographer of one baby "butanding"! I'm recommending the place to everybody. Oslob is only 3 hours from Cebu City plus there are lots of old (300 year old) churches along the way.:)

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/252715_10150857150318133_1779599911_n.jpg

like this one:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/179547_10150857543393133_2096962784_n.jpg

Wow i didn't know that river existed there seem to be a few vids on youtube .

AYeItDFyRhY

River looks calm, unlike Taal lake which is full of waves. Hmm, wonder if I can go on an expedition from Taal lake all the way to Balayan Bay?

We recently went to Oslob, Cebu for whaleshark watching. And we have this amazing shot taken by out boatman/underwater photographer of one baby "butanding"! I'm recommending the place to everybody. Oslob is only 3 hours from Cebu City plus there are lots of old (300 year old) churches along the way.:)

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/252715_10150857150318133_1779599911_n.jpg

like this one:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/179547_10150857543393133_2096962784_n.jpg

And don't you just love the roadtrip going south of Cebu? Especially the parts where the road is along the sea?

The journey itself is worth it everytime I go there.. I never sleep and I'm from Cebu. Hahaha.

Sidetrips recommended. Stop by Carcar! The old houses and the churches.

And one of the best lechons of Cebu (actually IMO, the best lechon I've ever tasted), head to the market/mercado just near the Rotunda. Go to the hole in the wall places where they serve authentic Carcar Cebu lechon with puso, the juices that a freshly roasted lechon oozing with the oomami and flavors from the concoction of spices and umm...I'm salivating right now. Haha. (But yeah, the lechon is served with the "juice" so parang may sabaw).

^^its so surprising for cebuanos to know that to eat inasal or lechon in other provinces you need a dipping sauce usually liver sauce. sa cebu, the lechon is eaten with the spices and juices stuffed inside the belly of the roasted pig.

as alain bourdain puts it, the best pig ever! lol now inasal or lechon here in the states is now advertise as "cebu style" and it goes with a hefty price tag.:cheers:

happy 4th of july guys. aw happy fil-am friendship day diay. :cheers:

And don't you just love the roadtrip going south of Cebu? Especially the parts where the road is along the sea?

The journey itself is worth it everytime I go there.. I never sleep and I'm from Cebu. Hahaha.


I do!! (though i haven't done it in Cebu)

I specially love long drives to Ilocos and Bicol region.
the sceneries makes every minute of the trip worth it!

one of my favorites, somewhere in Bicol region (or somewhere in Quezon, I don't drive in the Phils, so I didn't know where we were lol).. Millions of fireflies lighting up both sides of the road. It lasted for hours!! I thought it was so surreal.
(the roads doesn't have street lights.. making it a plus!)

Guys, ung friend ko uuwi ng Pinas this December. She's from Bulacan.
gusto nia mag aral ng diving, somewhere near, probably Batangas?

any recommendation for a vacation + PADI lessons?
(wala akong alam sa scuba diving, kaya wala akong ma recommend eh.. haha)

^^^ I saw one sa may Thomas Morato they sell diving equipments and offer Diving lessons and I believe they have promos for Diving in batangas, I forgot the name of that establishment though...

^^Great shots and videos! :cheers:

I do!! (though i haven't done it in Cebu)

I specially love long drives to Ilocos and Bicol region.
the sceneries makes every minute of the trip worth it!

one of my favorites, somewhere in Bicol region (or somewhere in Quezon, I don't drive in the Phils, so I didn't know where we were lol).. Millions of fireflies lighting up both sides of the road. It lasted for hours!! I thought it was so surreal.
(the roads doesn't have street lights.. making it a plus!)

Bai Wino you should try it one of these days when you come home for vacation. I will happily tag along if I'm there too.

Here's a teaser set. Photos I took Jan 2012.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6745870537_b03c46c458_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6745869595_bc79b48bf5_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6745868455_66d43fffd5_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6745867261_e9b284fc9f_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6745865545_a20bb388fd_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6745864139_16a6cc81ff_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6745853751_de857c1b62_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6745852637_b2127632fb_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6758782905_b3196b3491_b.jpg

Sorry, the best angles are probably from outside the bus or car. Hehe.

^^
Love the pictures. Definitely heading south to Cebu next year.

^^Beautiful coastal drives! I also like the coastal drives going to Caticlan from Nabas in Aklan; as well as the Patapat viaduct in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

Bai Wino you should try it one of these days when you come home for vacation. I will happily tag along if I'm there too.

Here's a teaser set. Photos I took Jan 2012.

Sorry, the best angles are probably from outside the bus or car. Hehe.

Would love to!

Those pictures are good enough for me! Looks awesome.

OPRSXg2Wt10

Im not sure or remember if somebody has posted this here before or if i merely came upon it on youtube a few weeks ago but in any case it shows a drive from the south of Cebu to Cebu city, i remember however that it featured some of the places in those photos ... .

Clark passenger volume up 54%
By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) Updated July 05, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0)

MANILA, Philippines - More and more foreign and local tourists are now using the Clark International Airport as the volume of passengers using the gateway in Pampanga jumped 54 percent in the first half of the year.

Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano said the number of international and domestic passengers using the airport reached 547,556 from January to June this year compared to 354,585 in the same period last year.

“This manifests the continued support of our fellow Filipinos as well as foreigners, travelers, tourists, and overseas Filipino workers using the Clark International Airport,” Luciano stressed.

Data provided by the CIAC Corporate Planning Department showed that international and domestic aircraft movements increased by 38 percent to 4,749 as of June 15 from 3,435 in the same period last year.

The international airport is currently serving at least 300 aircraft movements weekly.

Luciano said the international airport could hit its five million passenger target by end-December or exactly nine years after starting its operations in November of 2003.

He explained that local and foreign carriers had started operating out of Clark International Airport especially the domestic front which boosted the passenger growth this year.

Airphil Express, the budget airline arm of Philippine Airlines, started its domestic flights to Davao, Puerto Princesa, Cebu, and Kalibo via Clark last March 29. It also started international flights to Singapore and Hong Kong.



Air Asia Philippines, a unit of Malaysian-owned Air Asia Berhad, also started its domestic flights to Davao, Puerto Princesa, and Kalibo last April and doubled its international flights to Kuala Lumpur two times daily. It also flies to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia and is set to fly to Macau and Hong Kong starting July 19.

Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific Air also operates international flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, and Macau as well as domestic flights to Cebu at Clark International Airport. It is set to fly to Incheon through the airport this year.

Dragon Air a subsidiary of Cathay Pacific based in Hong Kong also started its daily flights to Hong Kong this year. Dragon Air is a full service air carrier which operates a fleet of 35 passenger aircrafts and serving 38 regional destinations, including 19 cities in China.

South East Asian Airlines (Seair) in partnership with Tiger Airways of Singapore also flies to Kota Kinabalu, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Singapore.


http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=824054

Fishing in Dubai (http://www.cruiseindubai.com) is one of the most amazing part of the trip. Dubai is the place like heaven i specially used to spend my vocations in Dubai.

Thanks but with the highest concentration of coral and fish species anywhere in the world, I think you should try fishing in the Philippines. It's more fun. :lol::lol::lol:

Thanks but with the highest concentration of coral and fish species anywhere in the world, I think you should try fishing in the Philippines. It's more fun. :lol::lol::lol:

yeah, but Dubai fishes are different than Philippine ones:D

Imagine eating an Arab fish:lol:

yeah, but Dubai fishes are different than Philippine ones:D

Imagine eating an Arab fish:lol:

Have you caught an Arab fish, mader? :lol::lol::lol:

Have you caught an Arab fish, mader? :lol::lol::lol:

Nope, ayaw ko ng Arab fish:D

^^ weh! :D

Can anyone jog my memory on this one? thanks..

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-JSD3uoTwqY/S7VbHG7dd3I/AAAAAAAABqU/4Px6zhn0Rtc/s400/23535_318669921569_527081569_4228280_293314_n.jpg

:cool:

tanong ko laang. Was the demolition of the Jai Alai building on Taft a wise decision and in its place now stands a cheap bodega style grocery? methinks not.

this beauty is a classic 1936 Arellano masterpiece.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nBb7eOJWq80/Ty4RYX3wa1I/AAAAAAAAIuM/1vAmLlN_A7A/s1600/meralco02.jpg

http://images.inquirer.net/media/lifestyle/images/pic-01161005390656.jpg

The Arts. More Fun in the Philippines. :cool:

this Art Deco heritage site should be preserved and improved.

http://en.academic.ru/pictures/enwiki/73/Iloilo_Central_Public_Market.jpg
City of Iloilo Public Market.

tanong ko laang. Was the demolition of the Jai Alai building on Taft a wise decision and in its place now stands a cheap bodega style grocery? methinks not.

this beauty is a classic 1936 Arellano masterpiece.

The Arts. More Fun in the Philippines. :cool:

Muntik na sana akong humanga sa iyo.

Can anyone jog my memory on this one? thanks..

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-JSD3uoTwqY/S7VbHG7dd3I/AAAAAAAABqU/4Px6zhn0Rtc/s400/23535_318669921569_527081569_4228280_293314_n.jpg

:cool:

calaruega church:)

Muntik na sana akong humanga sa iyo.
you're not required to, whoever you are. :nuts:

calaruega church:)
gee thanks :D :D

you're not required to, whoever you are. :nuts:

at may tagahanga pa:D

at may tagahanga pa:D
aaww, kusog man ko modagan ba.

aaww, kusog man ko modagan ba.

I have a strong hunch your avatar is just way too primally (or primately) sexy.:lol:

I have a strong hunch your avatar is just way too primally (or primately) sexy.:lol:
its the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thingy I suppose. :lol:

Mercato FC.

Fan Club. :D

I'm gonna be the treasurer of Mercato FC:D

^^ Sino ang magiging Musa? :D

Pakiramdam ko hindi Pinoy ang magiging Musa ng Mercato FC. :D

si Patchiechay?

http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/Archives/ED101sp07/sdesai/wrong-answer.gif

Mali, Wrong, dapat nga Arvor Fan Club dahil siya yung half German no.

si Patchiechay?

haha good nick name! :lol:

^^Beautiful coastal drives! I also like the coastal drives going to Caticlan from Nabas in Aklan; as well as the Patapat viaduct in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

Been to Patapat Viaduct in Pagudpud... stunning coastal road. Will try Nabas too when my time permits. My holiday of 12 weeks is now cut to 6 weeks. Way to dampen my holiday mood.

I have a strong hunch your avatar is just way too primally (or primately) sexy.:lol:

Now I understand why he thought there is a grocery bodega in the jai alai site..... The avatar and the dialect explains it.

Can anyone jog my memory on this one? thanks..

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-JSD3uoTwqY/S7VbHG7dd3I/AAAAAAAABqU/4Px6zhn0Rtc/s400/23535_318669921569_527081569_4228280_293314_n.jpg

:cool:

calaruega church:)

nope.. that is not the Caleruega church.. though it is indeed in Caleruega in Nasugbu.... anyways... below is the Church of Transfiguration of Caleruega...

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_U-G5x594TOE/SLYZJETaosI/AAAAAAAAAU0/saodljyGiRQ/s320/DSC01736.JPG

Arvor Fan Club dahil siya yung half German no

No half Danish besides im pretty sure i already have an Indonesian fan club which scrutinise my posts here :) .

----

NOOfXLGJf2g

Anyway P&O cruises recently celebrated it's 175'th year in Southampton UK with several of it's ships participating in a naval review there must be at least 3000 Filipino crew members in those 7 ships it's a shame with all our crewing experience that we are still to put more effort on the cruise industry back home .

JLG5ygNYooE

I really hope that they transform the 2 southernmost piers of Manila south harbour into a modern international cruise ferry terminal similar to what they have done to the former Kai Tak airport runway which now has the cruise temrinal under construction, if HK is successful Manila can surely become if not a hub itself at least one of the major stop overs of cruise lines in the region .

http://www.buzzen.com/files/pictures/img_169513_1_152.jpg

The entire cruise terminal can then be connected through a giant viaduct/building structure to Intramuros which should be rehabilitated into a pedestrian high end and local indigenous fashion/shopping and cultural district, a revived tramvia or tram system should then connect the cruise terminal via the "living bridge" into intramuros and beyond, the theme would be "Manila's future link to it's past" .

Such a structure could also become the countries most iconic building who says an icon should be tall ?, just think Sydney opera house .

HdS0l9ORmZg&feature
Hamburg living bridge

The viaduct structure could be based on the "Hamburg living bridge" project based on how living structures and markets used to be built on top of bridges in Europe .

A 700-metre-long bridge with footpaths and four lanes is being planned. This should start from the harbour city and lead to the "Small Grasbrook". A multi-storied complex with 1000 flats beside offices, shops and restaurants shall be constructed. http://www.binary-objects.de/index.php?page=detail&id_item=53

4o_HglI6MZA

Or alternatively it could be based on Frankfurt airport "air rail center" building which is also a sort of viaduct with hotels and shopping centers and offices above it .

http://www.buzzen.com/files/pictures/img_169513_1_41.jpg
Depicted with the red line a new extended tramvia line to the new administrative district, green spaces are parks and wide open spaces .

Eventually id also like to see the entire Malacanang area rehabilitated and connected to Intramuros via walkways and parks and the tramvia while the industrial zones nearby should be romved to the outskirts of the city, in it's place they should build parks and a new government or administrative city and perhaps space for museums, the tramvia can then be extended to this new area all the way to Malacanang besides which a tram/train and lrt/mrt museum can be constructed .

----

After this all we have to do is add the Laguna lake rehabilitation project including turning Talim island into an eco/sports park and the whole Lake district highway system which includes bridges across to Talim island and the creation of new modern lakeshore towns and subdivisions .

Finally shutting down Naia and turning Sangley into a new Metro Manila international city airport and using naia grounds to build a central train station/multi modal central station, large city park and convention centers T3 could easily be transformed for such a role, perhaps a new sports city or a large 60.000 + seater multi sporting stadium for world class sporting events, the new zone could then be integrated with the planned ? Pagcor city project .

http://www.buzzen.com/files/pictures/img_169513_1_141.jpg
Green lines rail, red lines highways, red squares ports, blue squares airports ... .

Further afield to the east we should transform Infanta Quezon into a new metropolise or Mega Manila's easternmost suburb providing us with a window on the Pacific, the new city should become the eastern hub of a Mega Manila logistics hub connected by highways, railways and an airport which will enable it to transfer cargo to and from the Pacific to other logistics hubs in Subic/Clark, Manila harbours, or even Batangas port, the idea here is to transform Infanta Quezon into the Singapore of the Pacific, but this part of my Luzon masterplan is probably more pertinent in another thread but i guess cruise ships could also dock there and passengers can take a train to Manila to catch another cruise ferry and vice versa .

I think all of this can be done for around 100+ to 150 billion $ which can be raised via PPP and of course the sale of real estate or by tapping Recto bank's potentially gazillion $ ressources etc ..., :tyty: now that i can be declared slightly insane i deserve a fanclub lol .

Been to Patapat Viaduct in Pagudpud... stunning coastal road. Will try Nabas too when my time permits. My holiday of 12 weeks is now cut to 6 weeks. Way to dampen my holiday mood.

The drive to Caticlan is quite nice, rural coastal villages, and on one stretch, you have mountainsides, cliffs and the ocean.. and then you'll see a line of bougainvilleas ...... ganda!!

http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/Archives/ED101sp07/sdesai/wrong-answer.gif

Mali, Wrong, dapat nga Arvor Fan Club dahil siya yung half German no.

He is not (a) German (Shepherd), he is a (Great) Dane daw. :D

TGIF!!! :)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/532299_407094289327864_256630923_n.jpg

SUMILON ISLAND, CEBU, PHILIPPINES

:cheers2: :cheers2: :cheers2:

Naks nagsalita ang akala mo kun sino. :hilarious
Now I understand why he thought there is a grocery bodega in the jai alai site..... The avatar and the dialect explains it.
aaaawww, the typical one liner jackass. But I wouldnt worry too much that you'd say more since your own ignorance is showing the slip already.

Cebuano is not a dialect and is in fact a language on its own. It's parent language is an old Austronesian language. Sheer arrogance from this Manila-centric character. Say, if you didn't know much about buildings and sites in other Philippine cities & confused a building here and there, I wouldnt take it against you and throw sarcastic one liners. You really think you got it made eh? :lol: :lol: :lol:

As for the location of the Jai Alai, I don't often go there since it was demolished when I was no longer in the motha country. I once passed by and thought I saw a masagana grocery.

Why, glad you liked my cute and adorable avatar. It does indeed bring out the primeval in me. :lol: :lol:

No half Danish besides im pretty sure i already have an Indonesian fan club which scrutinise my posts here :) .

I think all of this can be done for around 100+ to 150 billion $ which can be raised via PPP and of course the sale of real estate or by tapping Recto bank's potentially gazillion $ ressources etc ..., :tyty: now that i can be declared slightly insane i deserve a fanclub lol .
ooop my bad, sorry mate. ajejeje. so it is, yes indeed a fan club you deserve. I am pretty sure that if you flash that Nordic smile of yours the Indonesians will go into a swoon. :colgate:
He is not (a) German (Shepherd), he is a (Great) Dane daw. :D
He's a Viking sailor ... o ayan na may pambato na kayo. :colgate:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/528334_4345602085267_1454177508_n.jpg

How timely.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/528334_4345602085267_1454177508_n.jpg

How timely.

Rain, appalling indeed considering the location is now again in controversy as the site of the Torre De Manila.

Oh is that right? Can anybody please enlighten us further again on what this Torre de Manila is all about before some anonymous interloper launches on a chauvinistic hifallutin sniper shot again? :lol:

By the way, knowing the nitty gritty about every single delicious little detail of the geography of Modern Manila 2012 is not necessarily the be all and end all of it. Of course you'd know more since yer ass is stuck, stapled and glued there. :lol: The audacity of some indeed indeed. Oh puh-leeeaaaze do spare me the high nose in the air bitch routine, coz most likely I do have a more aquiline nose than thee.

And so what if I confuse that blasted Tower of Babel whatever it is with the Masagana Grocery. They must look alike. oops, baka nga na-offend siya dahil agente ng Torre de Manila. LOL. :lol: :rofl:

Rain, appalling indeed considering the location is now again in controversy as the site of the Torre De Manila.


I am afraid this might come up in the discussion. I remained silent about this matter because I have a contrary opinion. Carlos is a dear friend of mine, but alas, I do not share similar positions on Torre De Manila controversy for these reasons:


1. Land in Manila is limited, being the most densely populated city in the world, there is nowhere to go but to build up. This is just common sense. Manila just do not have the luxury of space.

2. Around Rizal Park, there are high rises on its sides, so this project is nothing new.

I feel that there are other things that deserve more attention than these. As it is, Manila have been demolishing a lot of its heritage buildings lately. I would rather have the attention focused on that rather than this.

I am not in any way connected/related to DMCI nor any of their projects. As far as I know I only know one friend who works for them.

Can anyone jog my memory on this one? thanks..

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-JSD3uoTwqY/S7VbHG7dd3I/AAAAAAAABqU/4Px6zhn0Rtc/s400/23535_318669921569_527081569_4228280_293314_n.jpg

:cool:

that's the facade of the administration offices that manage the Calaruega properties, it also hosts living quarters upstairs and and function rooms below.

Snake Island, El Nido, Palawan
P h i l i p p i n e s

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/320386_379095922156119_1035230328_n.jpg (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=379095922156119&set=a.166742566724790.45211.166358200096560&type=1&relevant_count=1)
click the picture for source. photo credit goes to its rightful owner

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VISITORS, THANKS GOD WE MADE IT AGAIN
Last years No. 4 this year Boracay Island rank as No. 1 Travel + Leisure World's best Island
Full List
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/6583/bestisland.jpg

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1368/cheers2.jpg

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2012/islands

^^ ALSO..

Top 100 Hotels overall from Travel + Leisure
http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2012/hotels

Top 100 Hotels Overall

RANK '11 NAME SCORE
1 1 Singita Grumeti Reserves, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania 98.25
2 6 Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, Montana 98.22
3 - Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, Australia 97.87
4 5 Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India 97.50
5 55 Discovery Shores, Boracay, Phillippines 96.77
6 - Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, La Fortuna-Arenal, Costa Rica 96.36
7 39 Singita Kruger National Park, South Africa 96.33
8 19 Palacio Duhau, Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires 96.12
9 - Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, Tanzania 95.85
10 2 Singita Sabi Sand, Kruger National Park Area, South Africa 95.74

see the complete 100 list (http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2012/hotels)

^^ ALSO..

Top 100 Hotels overall from Travel + Leisure
http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2012/hotels

Top 100 Hotels Overall

RANK '11 NAME SCORE
1 1 Singita Grumeti Reserves, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania 98.25
2 6 Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, Montana 98.22
3 - Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, Australia 97.87
4 5 Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India 97.50
5 55 Discovery Shores, Boracay, Phillippines 96.77
6 - Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, La Fortuna-Arenal, Costa Rica 96.36
7 39 Singita Kruger National Park, South Africa 96.33
8 19 Palacio Duhau, Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires 96.12
9 - Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, Tanzania 95.85
10 2 Singita Sabi Sand, Kruger National Park Area, South Africa 95.74

see the complete 100 list (http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2012/hotels)

Oo nga ano :banana::banana: out of 100 to be in the top 5 is really a Big leap. Congratulations! and the only Hotel represents the PHILIPPINES and No. 5 pa wow..:cheers:

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VISITORS, THANKS GOD WE MADE IT AGAIN
Last years No. 4 this year Boracay Island rank as No. 1 Travel + Leisure World's best Island
Full List
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/6583/bestisland.jpg

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1368/cheers2.jpg

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2012/islands

Nag-goosebumps ako sa tuwa! :cheers::banana:

Viva Boracay! Viva Pilipinas!!!

Discovery Shores is owned by Boy Abunda right?

galing! sana mabawasan ang basag-ulo ng mga forenjer na puti sa station 2, laging may away dun ng alas dos a.m

Discovery Shores is owned by Boy Abunda right?

Nope. He is not the owner of Discovery Shores. He endorsed it in the past I think.

I was a guest at the Discovery Shores way back in 2008 and 2006. I like their butler service. Kasama namin lagi even during night gimik. :lol:

wow! congrats boracay :cheers:

Some people say bad things about Boracay, but I guess more people love Boracay. :) Congratulations!

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VISITORS, THANKS GOD WE MADE IT AGAIN
Last years No. 4 this year Boracay Island rank as No. 1 Travel + Leisure World's best Island
Full List
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/6583/bestisland.jpg

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1368/cheers2.jpg

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2012/islands

I've been reading a lot about Boracay in international magazines and websites and blogs so I've been kind of anticipating this! (And especially the Discovery Shores). But to top Bali, now that's really something else. Great!

Job well done for putting us on the map to counter all these other negative publicity.

I've been reading a lot about Boracay in international magazines and websites and blogs so I've been kind of anticipating this! (And especially the Discovery Shores). But to top Bali, now that's really something else. Great!

Job well done for putting us on the map to counter all these other negative publicity.

Yep!! Actually a lot of good tourism and business publicity lately. And not just publicity they are based on facts!

More jobs from tourism! :cheers:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/481988_294940047271649_89645050_n.jpg

^^ wow, here's SM Seaside City in Cebu, still digging :)

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/6201/cebujuly402.jpg

^^ Wow, I hope more projects and scrapers go up in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod and Iloilo. :cheers2:

I hope someone from Cebu can illustrate how Cebu skyline will look like after all of these buildings (inc other scraper projects) are finished.

Parang gusto kong bumili ng unit dyan ah.

Most impressive. :cheers2: :cheers2:
Naguusap ba yang dalawang architect niyan? ...

More jobs from tourism! :cheers:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/481988_294940047271649_89645050_n.jpg
My first instant impression was of Karnak; or at least a modern rendition of the ancient egyptian holy city.
http://www.eyelid.co.uk/pics/KarnakRecon.jpg
http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=Karnak&hl=en&biw=1366&bih=660&tbm=isch&tbnid=T8b9S_F00gOQ-M:&imgrefurl=http://www.eyelid.co.uk/karnak1.htm&docid=-YVLpRnbwTVrzM&imgurl=http://www.eyelid.co.uk/pics/KarnakRecon.jpg&w=400&h=291&ei=hyP4T7yXJ420rAeE55TOBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=546&vpy=181&dur=32&hovh=191&hovw=263&tx=197&ty=58&sig=103559788469296417569&page=1&tbnh=126&tbnw=174&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:102
^^ wow, here's SM Seaside City in Cebu, still digging :)

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/6201/cebujuly402.jpg
While this one is a dead giveaway. Masonic symbols eh? :cool:

Reminiscent of the Egyptian Eye of Horus/ Eye of Ra.
http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/453388/453388,1271626046,2/stock-vector-the-eye-of-horus-eye-of-ra-wadjet-believed-by-ancient-egyptians-to-have-healing-and-protective-51223609.jpg
http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=Seeing+eye+of+Ra&num=10&hl=en&biw=1366&bih=660&tbm=isch&tbnid=Hkg8lpWY7LBa9M:&imgrefurl=http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-51223609/stock-vector-the-eye-of-horus-eye-of-ra-wadjet-believed-by-ancient-egyptians-to-have-healing-and-protective.html&docid=RLqJAtk460r-yM&imgurl=http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/453388/453388,1271626046,2/stock-vector-the-eye-of-horus-eye-of-ra-wadjet-believed-by-ancient-egyptians-to-have-healing-and-protective-51223609.jpg&w=450&h=317&ei=dCT4T_6eD8jOrQe44dTJBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=485&vpy=185&dur=129&hovh=188&hovw=268&tx=162&ty=121&sig=103559788469296417569&page=4&tbnh=132&tbnw=181&start=71&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:22,s:71,i:369

:cool:

CONGRATS BORACAY! :cheers::banana::cheers::banana:

CONGRATS BORACAY! :cheers::banana::cheers::banana:

abs-cbn- The 2012 World's Best Awards winners will be honored at a ceremony on July 19 that will be hosted by Novogrod and the magazine's vice-president and publisher, Jean-Paul Kyrillos, at the newly opened Conrad New York.

Si Secretary Mon J Jr. will fly to New York? to received the award. CONDRAD pa!:cheers:

Yep!! Actually a lot of good tourism and business publicity lately. And not just publicity they are based on facts!

Correct. Word of mouth however is the best advertising, that's what I've seen from tourists I've come across.

Now that the Chinese are not coming to Boracay, hopefully, not buying up all the beach fronts like a dollar store sale, maybe your fellow Aklanon, the Governor, can initiate some pro-active measures in down time.

1. Clean up Boracay - a little walis walis here and there, remove the structures on the beach side, replant more coconuts or whatever on that side.
2. Organize the small time vendors. The town seems to be giving out licenses indiscriminately so that vendors are stepping over each other. They can have special places where they can harrass visitors, or special kiosks in various locations.
3. Think of the workers in Boracay. There are squatter neighborhoods on the island. Maybe it's time to plan some housing for them and get the non-resident riff raffs out.
4. Consolidate charges at the jetty. You have terminal fee, environmental fee, then the ferry fee. Put them on one magnetic card.
5. Automate their operation - like tourist info boards, ferry schedules, etc.
6. Invest in the public health clinic - it looks pretty dismaying.

Congrats Boracay and Discovery.

Correct. Word of mouth however is the best advertising, that's what I've seen from tourists I've come across.

Now that the Chinese are not coming to Boracay, hopefully, not buying up all the beach fronts like a dollar store sale, maybe your fellow Aklanon, the Governor, can initiate some pro-active measures in down time.

1. Clean up Boracay - a little walis walis here and there, remove the structures on the beach side, replant more coconuts or whatever on that side.
2. Organize the small time vendors. The town seems to be giving out licenses indiscriminately so that vendors are stepping over each other. They can have special places where they can harrass visitors, or special kiosks in various locations.
3. Think of the workers in Boracay. There are squatter neighborhoods on the island. Maybe it's time to plan some housing for them and get the non-resident riff raffs out.
4. Consolidate charges at the jetty. You have terminal fee, environmental fee, then the ferry fee. Put them on one magnetic card.
5. Automate their operation - like tourist info boards, ferry schedules, etc.
6. Invest in the public health clinic - it looks pretty dismaying.

Congrats Boracay and Discovery.

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/1/malay1.jpg
Petron, Smart Com. and the BFI

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/8522/malay2.jpg

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/4466/malay3.jpg
Asian Development Bank and DOE Project to phase out all gasoline Trikes and replace by next Gen E Trikes

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/8034/malay4.jpg
Security Screening officer in Kalibo International Airport and Boracay Airport are now train to confiscate that shells and Sands coming out in all point of Entry aside from Airports.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/324/malay5.jpg
The Country's most expensive reef rehabilitation is happening in Boracay the shores are guarded by this artificial reef buds a temporary home for Nemo.

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/2592/malay6.jpg
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8243/malay7.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/1877/malay8.jpg
Automated ticket system is now on developing stage I just don't have any info on when they will complete the installations.

Correct. Word of mouth however is the best advertising, that's what I've seen from tourists I've come across.

Now that the Chinese are not coming to Boracay, hopefully, not buying up all the beach fronts like a dollar store sale, maybe your fellow Aklanon, the Governor, can initiate some pro-active measures in down time.

1. Clean up Boracay - a little walis walis here and there, remove the structures on the beach side, replant more coconuts or whatever on that side.
2. Organize the small time vendors. The town seems to be giving out licenses indiscriminately so that vendors are stepping over each other. They can have special places where they can harrass visitors, or special kiosks in various locations.
3. Think of the workers in Boracay. There are squatter neighborhoods on the island. Maybe it's time to plan some housing for them and get the non-resident riff raffs out.
4. Consolidate charges at the jetty. You have terminal fee, environmental fee, then the ferry fee. Put them on one magnetic card.
5. Automate their operation - like tourist info boards, ferry schedules, etc.
6. Invest in the public health clinic - it looks pretty dismaying.

Congrats Boracay and Discovery.

Good suggestions.

But some of it are already being done for years:

1. There's regular cleanup at least twice a day when the beachs are literally combed for trash.

2. Small time vendors are regulated. Everyone even has an ID and sort of uniform. :)

3. Workers housing is a problem that is right. But slum areas, there are none in Boracay, unless you would call every nipa house a slum house? Perhaps a better looking and more organised housing.

4. The charges feel abusive, I agree. They need to consolidate it.

5. Automation is a good idea too. Looks and feels more professional. They are on the process of automation. :)


6. There is a public hospital in Boracay. (Boracay Municipal Hospital (https://plus.google.com/114616390361024692015/about?gl=US&hl=en))

There is also:

a) Metropolitan Doctor’s Medical Clinic (2 branches on the island) - http://www.boracayinsider.com/metropolitan-doctors-medical-clinic/

b) Island Clinic Boracay and Diagnostic Center


Boracay Island Hospital is the main medical mainstay for Boracay, providing 24-hour emergency services. This is a public hospital, so consultation fees and medicines are cheap here, but more serious illnesses are referred elsewhere. This Hospital is located along the Central Highway. Phone: +63 36 288 3041.

Metropolitan Doctor’s Medical Clinic has two establishments - one near D’Mall and another near Station 3 on White Beach. Doctors at this hospital make house calls. Phone: +63 36 288 5920 / +63 36 288 6638 / +63 36 288 6357.

Island Clinic Boracay and Diagnostic Center offers 24-hour medical and laboratory services. Their clinic is located at 689 Main Road Balabag; phone: +63 36 288 4280.

Perhaps the public hospital isn't as swanky but I think they function just fine. A few upgrades could help like perhaps decompression chambers for scuba divers.

All of these health care centres in Boracay have 24/7 services. For serious cases, patients are moved to Kalibo or airlifted to Manila.

:okay:


Happy Weekend from the Best Island in the World!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/282618_393315237382896_1120215161_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/205271_295898817175772_1227096339_n.jpg

^^ Lovely seaside homes there. Perfect blue water. Aah, there's my weakness, sails by the sunset. May there be more sails sailing the seas. Congrats Boracay. :cheers2: :cheers2:

Best Islands:

Vogue UK: Ariara Island (Palawan) (Number 1)
Travel + Leisure: Boracay (Number 1)
Conde Nast: Cebu for Number 1!!!

Anung say ng mga chengwa nyan pa-pull out pull out ang drama. No. 1 Island in the World eh, it's their loss! :D

hmmm.. maybe I should visit Boracay again on my next vacation. It has been 4 years since my last visit. I stayed in Alta Vista and Discovery Shores before. May naka-experience na ba ng Shangri-La Boracay dito? Ano ba ang latest must-do things sa Boracay? :D

Correct. Word of mouth however is the best advertising, that's what I've seen from tourists I've come across.

Now that the Chinese are not coming to Boracay, hopefully, not buying up all the beach fronts like a dollar store sale, maybe your fellow Aklanon, the Governor, can initiate some pro-active measures in down time.

1. Clean up Boracay - a little walis walis here and there, remove the structures on the beach side, replant more coconuts or whatever on that side.
2. Organize the small time vendors. The town seems to be giving out licenses indiscriminately so that vendors are stepping over each other. They can have special places where they can harrass visitors, or special kiosks in various locations.
3. Think of the workers in Boracay. There are squatter neighborhoods on the island. Maybe it's time to plan some housing for them and get the non-resident riff raffs out.
4. Consolidate charges at the jetty. You have terminal fee, environmental fee, then the ferry fee. Put them on one magnetic card.
5. Automate their operation - like tourist info boards, ferry schedules, etc.
6. Invest in the public health clinic - it looks pretty dismaying.

Congrats Boracay and Discovery.

I personally don't like coconuts be planted on the beach side. I was in Boracay last March and while I was enjoying the shade of a big tree, a coco fruit fell next to a Japanese family where I was sitting next to. Ang nakakatakot pa, hindi sya yung tipong matured na na bunga. Although I'm aware that they monitor the trees, may mga times talaga na nag ro-rot lang ang buko kahit hindi pa mature at bigla nalang nahuhulog. Sayang yung Japanese teener kung nabagsakan sa ulo. May itsura pa naman. :lol::lol::lol:

I personally don't like coconuts be planted on the beach side. I was in Boracay last March and while I was enjoying the shade of a big tree, a coco fruit fell next to a Japanese family where I was sitting next to. Ang nakakatakot pa, hindi sya yung tipong matured na na bunga. Although I'm aware that they monitor the trees, may mga times talaga na nag ro-rot lang ang buko kahit hindi pa mature at bigla nalang nahuhulog. Sayang yung Japanese teener kung nabagsakan sa ulo. May itsura pa naman. :lol::lol::lol:

They do regularly check the coconuts. Baka may nagkataon lang. Nakakatakot nga talaga yung ganun.. maraming namamatay sa nahuhulugan ng buko sa ibang bansa... dito sa amin, muntik na ako mamatay.. dahil may nahulog na pagkalaking pakwan sa dinaanan ko... galing sa mataas na building malapit sa opisina ko..:ohno::ohno::ohno:


Anung say ng mga chengwa nyan pa-pull out pull out ang drama. No. 1 Island in the World eh, it's their loss! :D



Korek!!! Tao na ang nagpopromote ng Boracay kasi. Kahit ano pang lait at paninira na gawin nila, pupuntahan talaga at pupuntahan ng mga tao yan kasi maganda. :)


hmmm.. maybe I should visit Boracay again on my next vacation. It has been 4 years since my last visit. I stayed in Alta Vista and Discovery Shores before. May naka-experience na ba ng Shangri-La Boracay dito? Ano ba ang latest must-do things sa Boracay? :D


Sosyal! :lol::lol::lol:

I stayed at Altavista last time I was in Boracay.. naku matagal tagal na din yun.

my only complaint sa Boracay ay yung mga streets. kelangan ng sidewalks and they need to improve drainage sa streets kasi kunting ulan, bumabaha. and lagyan sana ng street lights dun sa hilly area, sobrang dark pag gabi.

my only complaint sa Boracay ay yung mga streets. kelangan ng sidewalks and they need to improve drainage sa streets kasi kunting ulan, bumabaha. and lagyan sana ng street lights dun sa hilly area, sobrang dark pag gabi.

Yeah I agree, however, too much lights on the island can cause light pollution, as for sidewalks, remember that the island is rather small, so space is luxury.. Drainage, I believe they have that, but I guess they have to maintain it properly...I remember the PTA's manhole covers with Barbers name on it. :bash::bash:

Not so average pedestrian lanes in the Philippines. :)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/534827_342170059191602_16246881_n.jpg



Creativity + Functionality

No longer ugly and drab, Manila streets are getting a new lease on life. These beautiful street paintings are also made of paint that cleans the air. Made by PHILIPPINE TECHNOLOGY. :)


http://gotecotech.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/air-pollution-purifying-paint-on-main-highway.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iw_goMnJX3U/TyKUQU0tegI/AAAAAAAACTE/aKZ160_c024/s1600/mantrade+boysen+knoxout+paint.jpg

^^ Wow, I hope more projects and scrapers go up in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod and Iloilo. :cheers2:

I hope someone from Cebu can illustrate how Cebu skyline will look like after all of these buildings (inc other scraper projects) are finished.

Parang gusto kong bumili ng unit dyan ah.

Mahirap i illustrate.. ahhhm, Cebu has 80+ existing high rises as of today (not really scrapers) and there will be 60 new high rises/scrapers that will be built and those are already sure. If we include that of Seaside, it will be 70+...

I illustrated this last year and I only added 10:D Dunno how it will look if I'll illustrate the other 60...hehe
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2028/skyline57c.jpg

^^ great job, slerz :okay:

Mahirap i illustrate.. ahhhm, Cebu has 80+ existing high rises as of today (not really scrapers) and there will be 60 new high rises/scrapers that will be built and those are already sure. If we include that of Seaside, it will be 70+...

I illustrated this last year and I only added 10:D Dunno how it will look if I'll illustrate the other 60...hehe
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2028/skyline57c.jpg

I LOVE IT!!!! Cebu is gonna look awesome! Scrapers and beaches. Any timelines on these buildings? Which ones are under construction? Cant wait for the SM Cebu buildings to come up... Naexcite ako bigla. :D

^^in 2015, about 60 of those new high rises will already be built... just intime for the Eucharistic Congress in Cebu this 2016... just to show to tourists that the Phil's 2nd tier city category in ASEAN is not a laggard skylinewise...:yes:

as of this moment 40+ na ang u/c...

Of course it's nice to see some buildings and for locals it could be a source of pride for their city but tourists in general don't really care about skyscrapers ( unless it's the first time they have ever seen buildings ) most would just be indifferent and quite a few would probably just find them to be an eyesore frankly, so there's no need to be too obsessed by them .

Better to focus on the quality of ground level infrastructure make sure it's efficient, clean and safe that they are not over charged and have lots of green spaces while trying to keep it lively or animated, these are things that are more likely to stick to convention goers minds well after they return to their countries and are the things most likely to make them return some day .

Remember the point of tourism is to get away from the office or one's busy life and to have a nice relaxing time .

^^in 2015, about 60 of those new high rises will already be built... just intime for the Eucharistic Congress in Cebu this 2016... just to show to tourists that the Phil's 2nd tier city category in ASEAN is not a laggard skylinewise...:yes:

as of this moment 40+ na ang u/c...

wow. :cheers::cheers::cheers: Thanks for the update man! :) :) :)


Of course it's nice to see some buildings but tourists in general don't really care about skyscrapers most would just be indifferent and quite a few would probably just find them to be an eyesore frankly, so there's no need to be too obsessed by them .

Better to focus on the quality of ground level infrastructure make sure it's efficient, clean and safe and have lots of green spaces ... .


If managed properly it can help cities become more sustainable. scrapers help save space. Maybe Cebu can create greener areas. :)

Of course it's nice to see some buildings but tourists in general don't really care about skyscrapers ( unless it's the first time they have ever seen buildings ) most would just be indifferent and quite a few would probably just find them to be an eyesore frankly, so there's no need to be too obsessed by them .

Better to focus on the quality of ground level infrastructure make sure it's efficient, clean and safe and have lots of green spaces while trying to keep it lively or animated ... .



yeah I know Sir coz I also traveled with those tourists specially backpackers and I know what they wanna see in a particular place and even me as a tourist in one place doesn't really care about their scrapers exept those named tallest or with records...hehe.
BUT SINCE we're talking about scrapers as xxrainxxx actually asked for skyline illustration not the ground level illustration so I only focused about scrapers... OT na sa usapan kung baga if we talk of things that was not asked for...:yes:

as for me, I'm intersted or obsessed with scrapers coz I'm a scraper enthusiast that's why I registered here in SKYSCRAPER city:D

Yeah sure im just saying let's not be too obsessed with our neighbouring countries cities skylines at least when it comes to what tourists think, of course from a skyscrapercity perspective it's the main point of being here along with other infra projects were all fans definetely but were a different category of people .

^^but we're in tourists thread that's why I mentioned tourists, not us enthusiasts...ahahaha
someone asked for skyline illustration for us scraper enthusiast to rate but I will be OT coz we're in tourism thread that's why I mentioned tourist nalang...ehehe. I'm just particular about OT's, ayoko mapagalitan ng mods...hehe

More Koreans coming for it’s more fun in PH (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/43431/more-koreans-coming-for-its-more-fun-in-ph)
By Jerry E. Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer
1:40 am | Sunday, July 8th, 2012

Just as Filipinos are fascinated with the Korean wave, Koreans are finding diverse meanings to fun in the Philippines.

The people from the land of K-pop and Koreanovelas see the Philippine tourism campaign as parallel to that of their home country, said a top official of the South Korean Embassy.

“Our current tourism brand is ‘Be Inspired,’ which could take any form, like ‘Be Inspired with Korean food,’ ‘Be Inspired with Korean heritage’ or Be Inspired by Korean shopping,’” said Hwang Seong Un, the embassy’s counselor for culture and public relations, comparing their tourism slogan to the country’s “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”

According to Hwang, the top attractions for the visitors from Korea are the country’s beautiful beaches and the people.

“Beaches in Batangas are great,” Hwang, who is also director of the Korean Cultural Center, told the Inquirer. “The people here are very friendly and no matter who we approach, they are always willing to talk and communicate in ways they know and in ways that would be understood. Their ability to speak English is one of the strongest points of Filipinos.”

Honeymoon destinations

He cited Cebu and Boracay as among the popular honeymoon destinations for Koreans.
He described the Department of Tourism (DOT) drive as “positive,” stressing that “it highlights the fun-loving nature of Filipinos.”

The embassy official has expressed optimism that the number of Korean tourists to the country will break the one million-mark this year, given the aggressive campaign the DOT has recently launched.

Last year, South Koreans topped the list of foreign tourists to the Philippines, followed by visitors from Japan and the United States, according to the DOT.

In January, Koreans accounted for 102,166, or 24.9 percent of the 411,064 foreign visitors in the country, according to embassy records. During the past five years, some 1.44 million Koreans visited the Philippines.

Hwang said it would be a good idea to further intensify the Philippine government’s tourism campaign in Korea.

Sense of belonging

“Koreans will continue to fly to the Philippines, given that flights between the two countries average 23 per day. Also, the Korean community in the Philippines has settled in quite nicely and the Korean towns around give Korean tourists a sense of belonging despite being in a foreign country,” he said.

However, he said their host government should do something about what he called a “common concern” among Korean tourists—the “harassment many Korean visitors suffer in the hands of immigration officials.”

Watch watchlist

“The embassy has expressed concern over the Bureau of Immigration (BI) watchlist on certain Korean individuals. Since only the names of blacklisted individuals are indicated in the BI order, Koreans with the same names as the blacklisted ones experience unexpected trouble at Philippine airports. That is why we have asked that the expansion of the information in the same blacklist or watchlist should include not just the names but also the birthdates of the concerned individuals,” he said.

^^in 2015, about 60 of those new high rises will already be built... just intime for the Eucharistic Congress in Cebu this 2016... just to show to tourists that the Phil's 2nd tier city category in ASEAN is not a laggard skylinewise...:yes:

as of this moment 40+ na ang u/c...

Any buildings 600 ft. and above?

Currently The Crown Regency hotel in Cebu is the tallest though there is a condo being built which is taller.